NEW DELHI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Students protesting the alleged anomalies in the competitive exam conducted by the state-run Railway Recruitment Board in the eastern Indian state of Bihar Wednesday set ablaze a passenger train on fire, local media reports said.
There were no reports of anyone being killed or injured in the incident.
The train was set on fire at a railway junction in Gaya, about 96 km south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar.
Reports said the train was stationary and empty when it was set ablaze by a crowd that stormed the Gaya Junction.
Officials said Wednesday marks the third straight day of the protests in the state.
On Tuesday the agitating students pelted stones at the police and tried to obstruct the movement of trains, following which the police fired tear smoke shells and used batons to disperse the protesters. Reports said protesters also torched a train compartment at Arrah.
Protests were reported from Patna, Nawada, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Buxar and Bhojpur districts.
The agitators are opposing the Railway's decision to hold the exams in two stages, claiming the second stage for final selection amounted to "cheating" those who had passed in the first stage of the test.
The issue was highlighted when the the first exam's results were declared on January 15. At that time, the Ministry of Railways issued a clarification in which it said that the second stage exam was clearly mentioned in the notification.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday the Ministry of Railways has decided to put on hold its recruitment and announced that a committee has been formed to look into the concerns and doubts and will submit its recommendations to the ministry.
"Candidates may submit their grievances to (the) committee till 16th February 2022," a ministry statement said. ■
