WATCH | Chaos at Territorial Army recruitment drive in Uttarakhand as over 20k gather for 133 posts
भारतीय सेना का यह फैसला अव्यवहारिक था कि उत्तर प्रदेश के युवाओं की भर्ती भी पिथौरागढ़ में हो, पहाड़ के शहर इतनी वहन क्षमता नहीं रखते। जबकि यूपी में मेरठ बरेली समेत तमाम भर्ती सेंटर है। यहाँ केवल उत्तराखंड के यूथ को ही बुलाना था। परिणाम सबके सामने है इस वीडियो को देख लीजिए। एक तो… pic.twitter.com/8jTI4JfbGI
— Ajit Singh Rathi (@AjitSinghRathi) November 21, 2024
Many aspirants, who travelled long distances, were left to spend the night on roads and footpaths due to a lack of accommodation. They also faced transportation issues, with some paying high rates of up to ₹ 10,000 to reach Pithoragarh.
“The taxi operators were demanding Rs 10,000 for 10 passengers,” said Tushar Saini, an Army aspirant, as per India Today. “There were clashes. We were forced to come in taxis from Tanakpur and Haldwani as we had no other options. The district administration did not make any arrangements.”
The situation escalated when the crowd rushed the gates of the recruitment site, leading to a stampede. Police were forced to use lathi-charge to control the mob, injuring several candidates. Two people, including a 17-year-old, were seriously hurt and hospitalised but were later discharged after treatment.
Rekha Yadav, SP, Pithoragarh, said the candidates tried to enter the premises forcefully and some people were “slightly injured.” They were later released from the hospital after first aid. The police and administration teams took swift action to control the crowd. Authorities have also urged the public not to fall prey to any instigation or rumours, she told ETV Bharat.
????The painful situation of Uttarakhand youth.
20K youths turned out to Army recruitment in Pithoragarh.It was Complete chaos,Cops had to charge to control the crowd, a stampede broke out.
17 yr old Youth has been critical injured taken to Hospital.pic.twitter.com/2pzJATxqZV
— Manu???????????????? (@mshahi0024) November 20, 2024
The mass gathering was partly a result of the postponement of a similar recruitment event in Bihar’s Danapur. Many hopefuls from Uttar Pradesh then headed to Uttarakhand.
In response to the crisis, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Giri Goswami assured the public that arrangements were made for accommodation in 30 schools and food distribution at 18 langars. Over 100 Uttarakhand Roadway buses and 250 taxis were deployed for transport.
Despite these efforts, the recruitment drive sunk into chaos, with more aspirants expected in the coming days. Goswami confirmed that additional measures were being taken to manage the overwhelming crowd, with an estimated 10,000-12,000 candidates expected to arrive on November 22 and 23.
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The Territorial Army, a 250-year-old force created during British rule, was established as a local force made up of civilians trained to fight like regular soldiers. Unlike a standing army, it serves as a reserve force for better governance.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Nov 22, 2024 5:36 PM IST
