Prayagraj (UP) (PTI): On Thursday, the fourth day of the agitation against the decision of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to conduct the Provincial Civil Services (PCS), review officer (RO) and assistant review officer (ARO) preliminary examinations in two days, the police detained the alleged miscreants who infiltrated the students' protest.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Abhishek Bharti told reporters, "Peaceful agitation of the students is going on in front of the Public Service Commission here. Some miscreants with criminal tendencies entered among 50-60 students and tried to stop the students who were communicating with the administration."
He said these "miscreants" were also trying to provoke the agitating students. The police have detained them, he said.
"No other student preparing for the exam has been detained. Women police force is present here and peaceful talks are being held with everyone," Bharti said.
"We are taking legal action as per rules against miscreants who are infiltrating among the students and misleading them. Also, the students who are protesting by blocking the road in front of the commission are being requested to go to the designated protest site and protest peacefully," he said.
On the other hand, agitating student Himanshu Kushwaha said even though the protesters do not know each other personally, there is no political person there and everyone is agitating with the same demand.
Asked if he knows the people who were taken into custody, a student named Rajiv Pandey said, "All of us are competitive students here and the police administration is picking up students to weaken this movement."
The agitating students again started protesting from Thursday morning and raised slogans against Commission chairman Sanjay Srinet. On Wednesday evening, these students had protested by taking out a candle march.
An agitating student, Gyanendra Kumar, said until their demands are not met, they will continue the protest, whether it lasts a week or several weeks.
"We are taking out a candle march against the adamant attitude of the commission," he said.
UPPSC Secretary Ashok Kumar had earlier said, "The commission's guideline is that only government educational institutions should be made examination centres and the centre should be within 10 kilometers of the headquarters. Earlier, when the paper leaked, these students raised the demand that private institutions should not be made examination centres."
"These students are protesting when the government made guidelines after considering the demands of the students. For the PCS exam, 5,76,000 candidates are registered while centres are being found only for 4,35,000 candidates in all 75 districts. In such a situation, conducting the examination for two days is a compulsion," he said.
The students sitting on the dharna in front of the gate of the Public Service Commission had placards with different slogans written in their hands. One of them read "Batenge Nahi, Hatnenge Nahi, Nyay Milne Tak Ek Rahenge", while another one read "Ek Din, Ek Pariksha".
The commission has declared the dates of December 7 and 8 for the PCS preliminary exam, while December 22 and 23 have been declared for the RO and ARO preliminary exam.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.