NEW DELHI: As the protest against Agnipath recruitment flares up in eight states, the central government, the army and Air Force authorities are determined to go ahead with the recruitment drive.

The age limit for recruitment was raised from 21 to 23 on Friday night. However, as the agitation intensified yesterday, Army Chief General Manoj Pande and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary announced that recruitment would begin soon and the notification would be issued within two days. The recruitment process for Indian Air Force will begin on June 24.

Meanwhile, one person was killed when police opened fire on violent protesters at Secunderabad station in Telangana. Fifteen people were injured in the violence.

The agitation in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi spread to Telangana and Tamil Nadu yesterday. Thirty-five people blocked a train in Trichy, Tamil Nadu.

In Bihar, protesters attacked the houses of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi and the BJP state president. Opposition student unions in Bihar have called for a bandh on Saturday in protest of the Agnipath recruitment scheme.

71 trains were cancelled in Telangana. Thirty trains were attacked in Bihar and Telangana. Thousands of people seized the railway stations and torched the trains. In Bihar, three express trains were set on fire. 35 trains were cancelled.

In Bengal, there were protests in Kolkata, Siliguri, Purulia and North 24 Parganas. 200 train services were affected. A protest took place outside the home of Union Minister Shantanu Thakur.