Cong workers stop train near Connaught Place in Delhi, several detained

Indian Youth Congress workers on Monday stopped a train at the Shivaji Bridge railway station near Connaught Place here to protest against the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate and to push for their demand for a rollback of the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme.

The track was cleared by police and security personnel and train movement resumed after about half an hour, sources said.

Sixteen protesters were detained as police personnel tried to remove them from the tracks and the station, a senior police official added.

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In a tweet, the IYC said, "Members of the Youth Congress stopped the train at Shivaji Bridge while demonstrating against the illegal investigation of Shri Rahul Gandhi by ED and 'Agnipath Scheme' of Central government."

The organisation's national president, Srinivas BV, said IYC will keep fighting for the unemployed youth of the country.

"The government needs to roll back the Agniveer scheme. Youth Congress will fight for the unemployed youth in this country who want to serve the country. The IYC stopped the train in Delhi to attract the attention of the autocratic government," Srinivas B V said.

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The police said a group of IYC protesters had gathered at the Shivaji Bridge railway station.

They stopped a train there after coming on the railway tracks from where they were removed later, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra K Singh 16 persons have been detained and legal action is being initiated against them.

IYC members also staged a protest at the nearby Connaught Place.

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Gandhi on Monday appeared before the ED for the fourth day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.

Protests have erupted in various parts of the country after the Centre unveiled the Agnipath scheme last Tuesday to recruit youngsters aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 years in the army, navy and air force, largely on a four-year contractual basis. It later relaxed the upper age limit for this year's recruitment to 23.