CPI(M) cadres lay siege to Madurai railway station over Agnipath scheme

Commissioner of Police also tried to block the protesters

Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres on Thursday laid siege to Madurai railway station opposing the Agnipath scheme.

The protesters, led by Madurai MP, Su. Venkatesan, who took out a procession from Kattabomman statue up to the entrance of the railway station pushed the barricades despite the police resistance.

A few of them managed to sneak into the railway platform with party flags though another team of police and Railway Protection Force personnel were trying to block them at the portico.

Commissioner of Police T. Senthil Kumar also blocked a couple of protesters who were trying to get into the railway track and pushed them back.

After squatting in the portico and raising slogans against the Centre, the cadres came out to the West Veli Street where they continued with their slogans and courted arrest.

The protesters were opposed to the Centre's Agnipath scheme which would recruit youth into the defence forces on a contract of four years.

"This would ruin the armed forces and also the future of the youth," said Mr. Venkatesan.