Police in Karnataka's Dharwad lathi-charged people protesting against 'Agnipath' - the centre's armed forces recruitment scheme - news agency PTI reported on Saturday. Police told PTI protesters had gathered at Dharwad's Kala Bhavan to hold a protest march and served a memo to the Additional Deputy Commissioner of the district regarding the organised protests.
Police lathi charged against a mob of anti-Agnipath protestors in Dharwad on Saturday. (Screenshot of Twitter video)
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PTI said police had to lathi-charge protestors to make them disperse as a few damaged a nearby bus by throwing stones.
They were not allowed to march towards the ADC's office.
Police told reporters they had taken a few protestors into custody and that the others had dispersed. Normalcy has been restored in the city, authorities said.
Anti-'Agnipath' protests were also reported from other parts of Karnataka, such as Gokak and Belagavi districts. Anjali Nimbalkar, the Congress MLA from Khanapur constituency, participated in one such protest, PTI reported.
Protests against the 'Agnipath' scheme have roiled several states - notably Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh - over the past three days.
Trains and railway stations have been torched or vandalised, and property destroyed. Hundreds have been arrested and cases have been filed.
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Security forces at railway stations in Karnataka are on alert.
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Security forces at railway stations in Karnataka are on alert.
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Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai spoke on the 'Agnipath' protests and said he had taken measures to maintain law and order in the state.
The 'Agnipath' scheme was introduced Tuesday.
Under this scheme, recruits - called 'Agniveers' will serve a four-year tour of duty after which 75 per cent will be retired without benefits.
The scheme has triggered furious protests with armed forces aspirants worried about their future if they are among the 75 per cent dropped.
The government has rushed to allay such fears, assuring 'Agniveers' of jobs in central police and security forces like the CAPF and Assam Rifles, as well as in various union ministries. BJP-ruled states like UP and Uttarakhand have also made promises - of jobs in state police forces.
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
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Home/Cities/Bengaluru News/Police lathi-charge Agnipath protesters in Karnataka's Dharwad: Report
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