Operation reach-out: Kanpur police visit akharas, gyms to meet Army aspirants

Move aimed at creating awareness, busting myths and to ensure no violent protests take place in Kanpur region

At the break of dawn on Monday, police reached makeshift gymnasiums, grounds and Akharas where aspirants prepare for recruitment in the Indian Army. The effort of the police was to create awareness and bust myths and to ensure that these young men do not indulge in protests in the Kanpur region.

SO, Rajpur, Anurag Pandey, speaking to youths who are preparing to enter the armed forces, in Kanpur Dehat, on Monday. (HT Photo)

This was an additional way to handle protestors who in the past three days have registered their protest in Kanpur Dehat, Unnao, Kannauj and other places seeking withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme.

While Kanpur Dehat saw protestors stopping a goods’ train for hours and blocking the Kanpur-Jhansi highway, bike rallies were taken out and strong protests were held in Kannauj, Farrukhabad and Unnao and parts of Hardoi.

In the last two days, the police station heads were briefed by SPs of districts with instructions to cover places where youths prepare, a senior police official said. Also, a close watch is being kept on coaching centres.

Police teams reached the akharas, grounds, and gyms to meet the youths. “I found half a dozen youths in Rajpur’s only ground and akhara. I spoke to them at length and urged them to make others aware of the facts and that they do not take law into their own hands. If they have to protest they should do that within the parameters of law,” said Anurag Pandey, station officer, Rajpur, in Kanpur Dehat.

At the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium in Shuklagunj, Unnao, where protestors had set the dry grass on fire three days ago, the police did the same.

SHO, Shuklagunj, SK Jaiswal, said that around 100 youths used to come to this ground but only five came in the morning. “We had tea together and I appealed to them that if they wanted to protest it should be peaceful,” he said.

An aspirant who did not wish to be named said the conversation with the police apparently was aimed at dissuading them from protesting. “I also put my point across that why should I join the army on a contractual basis? What will I do after four years?” The officer replied, “These are policy matters... Raj-Kaaj hai”.

However, the bandh passed off peacefully in the Kanpur police zone comprising nine districts. Since early morning, the police had stepped up patrolling and security at all railway stations. All SP-ranked officials personally took stock of the situation.