Ludhiana | Agnipath Scheme: GRP to bring 24 accused on production warrant

Moreover, GRP has sought the mobile phone of one of the key accused for rioting and damaging public property while protesting against the Agnipath scheme, from the Ludhiana police

Government Railway Police (GRP) will bring a total of 24 accused, held by the Ludhiana police for rioting and damaging public property at Ludhiana railway station last month while protesting against the Agnipath scheme, on production warrant on July 12.

On June 18, around 70 anti-Agnipath protesters went on a rampage and vandalised property at Ludhiana railway station following which the operations at the station are being run under heavy security. A GRP officer said on the day of the incident, the railway police had held a total of six men for vandalising public property. (HT FILE)

Moreover, GRP has sought the mobile phone of one of the key accused, from the Ludhiana police.

A GRP officer said on the day of the incident, the railway police had held a total of six men for vandalising public property.

“The mobile phone of one of the accused held by us had a lot of data related to the protest. Since the Ludhiana police also reached the station minutes after the incident, the phone was handed over to a senior police officer of the commissionerate police following the instructions of the Ludhiana police commissioner. We have now requested the police to send us that phone for probe,” an investigating officer of GRP said.

GRP, however, is likely to add the names of these 24 accused in the FIR registered at the railway police thana.

Earlier, after interrogating the six men who were held by the railway police, GRP had found the involvement of two private academies in Kaithal, Haryana, and Jalalabad in Moga, which provided coaching to the military aspirants.

According to the police, these academies had allegedly formed two WhatsApp groups, where they had asked the army aspirants to join the protest in Ludhiana.

“We are yet to summon the persons who were running these academies. Our teams will soon contact them and will ask them to join the investigation here,” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, on June 18, around 70 anti-Agnipath protesters went on a rampage and vandalised property at Ludhiana railway station following which the operations at the station are being run under heavy security. Senior police officials continue to visit the station to take stock of security arrangements.