HYDERABAD: The Railway intelligence had alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF) beforehand about possible protests in view of the new recruitment policy in the Indian Army Agnipath.But the intelligence and the RPF had not anticipated the scale at which protests would take place. When they did take place, they were completely taken off guard as they had not expected the torching of the trains which is rare in South Central Railway.
The RPF was prepared only to handle protests with demonstrators squatting on railway tracks for some and after photojournalists take pictures, they would leave. But hey did not bargain for such an incendiary protest.
DRM Secunderabad AK Gupta also said that this was the first time such a massive protest involving huge damage took place. “ All protests so far have been peaceful, without any violence. But this time, the protest has resulted in the loss of life and property on a huge scale,” he told media persons.
Meanwhile, state police who had also sniffed the protests beforehand were preoccupied with the Friday prayers elsewhere as the situation there too was volatile in the wake of controversial comments on prophet Mohammad by BJP leaders.