Protests against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, June 2022

What the government did

1. 16 Jun 2022

   Tear gasPolice, BiharShare

   Police in Bihar fired tear gas shells and baton-charged protesters at several places, on a day when protesters set train coaches on fire at Bhabua, Chhapra and other stations and a BJP office was set on fire in Nawada.

   MoreLess · 3 sources

   Hindustan Times reported tear gas at Ara and Bhabua and baton charges in Begusarai, Nawada, Jehanabad and other districts; at Chhapra, an RPF inspector said the RPF fired eight rounds in the air to disperse the crowd.

   Sources [1][17][18]

2. 16 Jun 2022

   ConcessionCentreShare

   The Union government gave a one-time waiver that raised the upper age limit for Agnipath recruitment in 2022 from 21 to 23.

   MoreLess · 3 sources

   The Defence Ministry release said this was because it had not been possible to undertake recruitment during the last two years.

   Sources [12][2][42]

3. 17 Jun 2022

   Internet shutdownState government, Haryana, BiharShare

   The Haryana government suspended mobile internet, SMS and dongle services in Palwal district for 24 hours from 16 June, and on 17 June for 24 hours in Mahendragarh district and the Ballabhgarh area of Faridabad, saying it wanted to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours.

   MoreLess · 10 sources

   The Bihar Home Department suspended internet services in 12 districts from 17 June until 19 June. Reports differ on the later extent in Bihar: a Police Headquarters statement on 19 June said 17 of 38 districts remained under suspension, while Hindustan Times and The Times of India reported 20 districts. Services were restored on 21 June.

   Legal basis: Haryana (Palwal): Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with Rule 2 of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, as quoted from the order by The Indian Express. Bihar: Home Department order No. C/C.I.Misc-4013/2017-01 of 17 June 2022, as cited by SFLC.in (law not named in the sources opened)

   • 12 of 38 Bihar districts with internet suspended from 17 June, said ADG (Law and Order) Sanjay Singh (to PTI); Bihar government order (reported by ThePrint) [25]
   • 17 of 38 Bihar districts with internet still suspended on 19 June, said Bihar Police Headquarters statement (PTI) [35]
   • 20 Bihar districts with mobile internet suspended, said Hindustan Times (Subhash Pathak) [28]

   Sources [3][5][19][25][26][28][34][35][40][41]

4. 17 Jun 2022

   FiringPolice, TelanganaShare

   Police opened fire on protesters at Secunderabad railway station in Telangana after protesters vandalised the station and set train coaches on fire.

   MoreLess · 6 sources

   One person, Damera (Damira) Rakesh from Warangal district, died; Gandhi Hospital's superintendent said 13 people were brought to the hospital. Reports differ on which force fired: The Indian Express reported that Telangana police allegedly opened fire, while The Hindu reported that the station manager's complaint, on which the Secunderabad Railway Police registered a case, said police opened fire on the legs in self-defence to stop protesters setting fire to locomotives. Reports give Rakesh's age as 24 (The Indian Express) and 18 (The News Minute).

   • 1 people killed, said Gandhi Hospital superintendent Raja Rao (quoted by The Indian Express) [21]
   • 13 people brought to Gandhi Hospital, including the dead man, said Gandhi Hospital superintendent Raja Rao (quoted by ANI, via Scroll) [3]
   • at least 10 rounds fired by police, said The Indian Express ('reportedly') [21]
   • at least 15 rounds fired by police, said The Hindu ('preliminary reports') [22]

   Sources [3][4][21][22][23][24]

5. 17 Jun 2022

   Section 144 / 163State governmentShare

   Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in Palwal on 16 June and in Faridabad.

   MoreLess · 6 sources

   On 17 June, Gurugram District Magistrate Nishant Kumar Yadav issued an order prohibiting the free movement of persons and gatherings of more than four people in Gurugram district, in force until further orders. On 20 June, the day of a Bharat Bandh call, police in several areas imposed Section 144, and prohibitory orders were reported in some districts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Assam and Rajasthan.

   Legal basis: Section 144 CrPC

   Sources [3][6][5][20][44][34]

6. 18 Jun 2022

   FIRPoliceShare

   Police in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Telangana registered cases and made arrests.

   MoreLess · 11 sources

   Bihar figures given by police and officials rose from 24 FIRs on 17 June to between 145 and 159 FIRs by 19-20 June, and arrests from more than 125 to between 804 and 879; one figure from the ADG (Law and Order), 600 cases, differs from the others (see figures). In Uttar Pradesh, police said on 18 June that 340 people had been arrested and 29 cases lodged in 12 districts. In Palwal, Haryana, police booked over 1,000 people in three FIRs and arrested 23. In Secunderabad, the Railway Police registered a case on the station manager's complaint under rioting, attempt to murder and other IPC sections, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Railways Act.

   Legal basis: Secunderabad: IPC sections 143, 147, 324, 307, 435, 427, 448, 336, 332 and 341 read with 149, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Railways Act (as reported by The Hindu)

   • 24 FIRs; more than 125 detained Bihar FIRs and people detained, by 17 June, said ADG (Law and Order) Sanjay Singh (to ANI) [3]
   • about 620 arrested; 130 FIRs Bihar arrests and FIRs, by 18 June, said ADG (Law and Order) Sanjay Singh (to ANI) [7]
   • over 325 arrested; about 60 FIRs Bihar arrests and FIRs, by 18 June, said Bihar police (reported by The Hindu) [29]
   • 600 Bihar cases registered, by 18 June, said ADG (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar Singh (reported by ThePrint) [25]
   • 718 arrested; 25 cases Bihar arrests and cases, by 19 June, said Bihar Police (reported by The Indian Express, via Scroll) [9]
   • 804 arrested; 145 FIRs Bihar arrests and FIRs, by 19 June, said Bihar Police Headquarters statement (PTI) [35]
   • 805 arrested; 148 FIRs Bihar arrests and FIRs, by 19 June, said officials (reported by Hindustan Times) [27]
   • 879 arrested; 159 FIRs Bihar arrests and FIRs, by 20 June, said Bihar Home Department official (reported by Hindustan Times) [28]
   • 260 arrested; 6 FIRs Uttar Pradesh arrests and FIRs, by 18 June, said Uttar Pradesh Police (reported by ANI, via Scroll) [7]
   • 340 arrested (145 preventive under Section 151 CrPC, 195 under FIRs); 29 cases in 12 districts Uttar Pradesh arrests and cases, by 18 June, said Uttar Pradesh Police (reported by The Hindu) [32]
   • 23 arrested; over 1,000 booked in three FIRs Palwal arrests and people booked, said Palwal district police (reported by The Tribune) [33]

   Sources [3][7][9][25][27][28][29][32][33][35][24]

7. 18 Jun 2022

   ConcessionCentreShare

   The Home Ministry announced 10% reservation of vacancies for Agniveers in the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles, with a 3-year age relaxation (5 years for the first batch).

   MoreLess · 5 sources

   Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved 10% reservation of Ministry of Defence job vacancies for Agniveers, in the Indian Coast Guard, defence civilian posts and 16 defence PSUs. On 19 June, Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs, said the reservation announcement was planned and was not a reaction to the protests.

   Sources [13][14][4][8][31]

8. 27 Feb 2023

   OtherCourtShare

   A Division Bench of the Delhi High Court (Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad) dismissed a batch of writ petitions that challenged the Agnipath scheme or sought completion of earlier recruitment processes.

   MoreLess · 1 source

   It held that the scheme was not arbitrary, capricious or devoid of reason and that it was made in national interest to ensure that the Armed Forces are better equipped.

   Sources [38]

Outcome

The government did not roll back the scheme. The Army issued a notification on 20 June to begin registrations for the first batch from July. The opposition raised the scheme in the Bihar Assembly on 27 June 2022, and the Assembly was adjourned for the day. On 27 February 2023 the Delhi High Court dismissed the petitions challenging the scheme.

Background

Who governed at the start of the protest. Each action above counts for the party in power where and when it happened.

Centre government

BJPNDA, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

State government

JD(U) in Bihar, Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister

Places

Bhabua, Chhapra, Nawada, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Ballia, Palwal, Faridabad, Secunderabad, Gwalior

Cause

Withdrawal of the Agnipath four-year recruitment scheme and a return to regular recruitment with pension

Organisers

Largely unorganised job aspirants; a Bharat Bandh on 20 June was called on social media without a named organiser

Scale

Protests in about 13 states; about 60 train coaches burnt in Bihar; hundreds of trains cancelled; one dead in Secunderabad

What they said

Words in quote marks were matched in the source. Everything else is a summary; open the source for the exact words. Each statement says whether the speaker's party was in power or in opposition at the time.

Sources

1. 1Agnipath scheme: Violent protests in many states, train coaches set on fireScroll.in, 16 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 16 Jun 2022
2. 2Agnipath scheme: Government raises age limit to 23 from 21 for recruitment this yearScroll.in, 17 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 17 Jun 2022
3. 3Agnipath protests: One dead in Secunderabad, five trains set ablaze in three statesScroll.in, 17 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 17 Jun 2022
4. 4Agnipath scheme: Home, defence ministries announce 10% job quota for recruits as protests continueScroll.in, 18 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 18 Jun 2022
5. 5Bharat Bandh against Agnipath scheme disrupts road, rail traffic; Railways cancels over 600 trainsPTI via The Tribune, 20 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 20 Jun 2022
6. 6Agnipath protests top updates: Over 500 trains cancelled, Modi to meet service chiefs on TuesdayScroll.in, 20 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 20 Jun 2022
7. 7Agnipath protests top updates: Agitation in 13 states, railway stations ransacked in Bihar, PunjabScroll.in, 18 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 18 Jun 2022
8. 8Agnipath protest top updates: Bihar burning but BJP and JD(U) are fighting, says Prashant KishorScroll.in, 19 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 19 Jun 2022
9. 9Agnipath protests: 60 train coaches burnt, Railways suffers losses of Rs 700 croreScroll.in, 19 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 19 Jun 2022
10. 10Bihar Assembly adjourned after Opposition calls for discussion on Agnipath schemeScroll.in, 27 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 27 Jun 2022
11. 11'Agnipath': Anger in India over Modi's new army recruitment planAl Jazeera, 16 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 16 Jun 2022
12. 12Extension of entry age: Agnipath schemePress Information Bureau (Defence Wing), Ministry of Defence, 16 Jun 2022T1 RecordArchived 5 Jun 2023
13. 13The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decides to reserve 10% vacancies for recruitment in CAPFs and Assam Rifles for Agniveers. (thread)Office of the Home Minister (@HMOIndia), X, 18 Jun 2022T1 Record
14. 14Agnipath – Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approves 10% reservation of jobs for Agniveers in Indian Coast Guard, Defence Civilian posts & 16 DPSUsRajnath Singh (official website), 18 Jun 2022T1 Record
15. 15For the first time in 75 years, service chiefs are being fronted to defend a policy decision by the government.Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge), X, 20 Jun 2022T1 Record
16. 16#WATCH | I appeal to the youth to not indulge in violent protests and not damage the property of the RailwaysANI via ANI (@ANI), X, 17 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 27 Apr 2025
17. 17Protests continue in Bihar over Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ schemeThe Hindu, Amarnath Tewary, 16 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 16 Jun 2022
18. 18Protest against Agnipath: Three trains set on fire, BJP MLAs, offices attacked in BiharHindustan Times, Avinash Kumar, 16 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 16 Jun 2022
19. 19Agnipath: Protests erupt in Gurugram, Rewari, Palwal against governmentHindustan Times, Abhishek Behl, 17 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 17 Jun 2022
20. 20Prohibitory orders in place in Gurugram to curb protests against Agnipath schemeHindustan Times, Debashish Karmakar, 18 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 18 Jun 2022
21. 21Agnipath protests: One dead, several injured amid violence and arson at Secunderabad railway stationThe Indian Express, Sreenivas Janyala and Rahul V Pisharody, 17 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 17 Jun 2022
22. 22Agnipath protests | Police fire in air to quell protests at Secunderabad station, three injuredThe Hindu, Ravi Reddy, B. Pradeep and Syed Mohammed, 17 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 17 Jun 2022
23. 23How anti-agnipath violence unfolded in the Secunderabad Rly stationThe News Minute, Charan Teja, 17 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 17 Jun 2022
24. 24Secunderabad Railway Police invoke 14 charges against protestorsThe Hindu, 18 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 18 Jun 2022
25. 25Why BJP finds itself isolated from allies JD-U, HAM as Agnipath protests set Bihar on fireThePrint, Dipak Mishra, 19 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 19 Jun 2022
26. 26Agnipath protests: Net services restored in 20 districts of BiharThe Times of India, Faryal Rumi, 22 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 22 Jun 2022
27. 27Agnipath protest: 805 nabbed, 148 FIRs lodge for creating public chaos in BiharHindustan Times, Subhash Pathak, 19 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 19 Jun 2022
28. 28Agnipath protests: Bharat Bandh passes off peacefully in BiharHindustan Times, Subhash Pathak, 20 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 20 Jun 2022
29. 29BJP in Bihar accuses State administration for targeted vandalismThe Hindu, Amarnath Tewary, 18 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 18 Jun 2022
30. 30Agnipath scheme protests: NDA allies face off in Bihar; Centre steps up security for 10 BJP leadersThe Indian Express, Santosh Singh and Mahender Singh Manral, 18 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 18 Jun 2022
31. 31‘No rollback of Agnipath, aspirants will have to pledge they didn’t participate in arson, vandalism’The Indian Express, Krishn Kaushik, 19 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 19 Jun 2022
32. 32U.P. police arrest 340 people for protesting against Agnipath schemeThe Hindu, Omar Rashid, 19 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 20 Jun 2022
33. 33Agnipath Row: 23 held, over 1K booked for violence in PalwalThe Tribune, 18 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 18 Jun 2022
34. 34'Agnipath' scheme: Protests turn violent; police vehicles set on fire in Haryana's Palwal; internet suspendedThe Tribune, 16 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 16 Jun 2022
35. 35Violence against Agnipath scheme subsides in Bihar; over 800 arrested so farPTI via ThePrint, 19 Jun 2022T5 Secondary
36. 36Stop compromising dignity, valour of armed forces: Rahul on 'Agnipath'PTI via Business Standard, 15 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 15 Jun 2022
37. 37'No Rank, No Pension': Rahul, Priyanka, Kejriwal Slam Govt Over Agnipath SchemeThe Quint, 16 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 16 Jun 2022
38. 38Harsh Ajay Singh v. Union of India and Ors., W.P.(C) 11011/2022 and connected matters, 2023/DHC/001414Delhi High Court (text on Indian Kanoon), 27 Feb 2023T2 Court
39. 39Is this MGNREGA-like step for educated youth or ‘hidden agenda’ of RSS: Tejashwi Yadav on ‘Agnipath’ schemePTI via The Tribune, 19 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 19 Jun 2022
40. 40Letter to Bihar Government regarding Internet ShutdownsSFLC.in, 22 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 22 Jun 2022
41. 41Haryana: Mobile internet suspended in Palwal as Agnipath protests eruptThe Indian Express, 16 Jun 2022T5 SecondaryArchived 16 Jun 2022
42. 42Upper age limit for Agnipath scheme hiring raised to 23 for 2022The Hindu, Vijaita Singh, 16 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 16 Jun 2022
43. 43Agnipath: Railways suffered losses worth Rs 259.44 crore during protests, Centre tells ParliamentScroll.in, 22 Jul 2022T5 Secondary
44. 44Sec 144 in city, cops try to track protesters with institutes’ helpThe Times of India, Bagish Jha, 18 Jun 2022T4 ReportArchived 20 Jun 2022

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