Police arrest 10 more in Secunderabad railway station Agnipath riot case

The railway police have arrested 10 more young men in the Secunderabad railway station arson case. Earlier, the police had arrested 46 Army job aspirants for their involvement in the violent protests on June17 against the Agnipath scheme at the busy railway junction.

Because of the unprecedented disturbance at the busy railway station, the South Central Railways had to cancel train services, return ticket fare to passengers. The railway zone also suffered Rs 12 crore losses in property damages in the rioting.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad police interrogated the prime suspect behind the Secunderabad railway station protest, Avula Subba Rao, who was picked up from Narasaraopet in Andhra Pradesh.

Subba Rao, who runs Sai Defence Academy that trains aspirants for entrance exams to various army jobs, and a trainer from another such academy in Karimnagar are reportedly being questioned by the Hyderabad police, which is also investigating the case.

Subba Rao is charged with arranging for food and material for arson. Reportedly, he, with the help of his manager Shiva, arranged for the petrol used by the protesters. Subba Rao is also accused of instigating the protesters to assemble at Secunderabad on June 17 through messages in various WhatsApp groups, including one named Hakimpet Army Soldiers.

Among those arrested on Wednesday is a young man from Adilabad, named Prithviraj, who was seen in fresh videos that emerged setting on fire seats and berths inside train coaches, breaking glass panes of AC coaches, and destroying other property in the station with an iron rod.

“We had no clue that he was involved in the protests. He only told us he was going for coaching in Hyderabad,” Prithviraj’s parents, sitting worried on a pavement in Secunderabad, told reporters.

The 10 protesters were sent to Chanchalguda jail after being presented at a railway court in Bhoiguda.

B Anuradha, SP with Secunderabad railway police, had earlier said that the case would be transferred to the Hyderabad police for further investigation, ADGP (Railways) Sandeep Shandilya said the case was still with the Railways.

“Avula would be handed over to us, if the case is not transferred to the city police,” Shandilya told DH, adding that management of several training academies were under the police scanner.