Protests against India's new military recruitment system turn violent


FILE PHOTO: Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses a news conference as Indian Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar listen, in New Delhi, India, June 14, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

LUCKNOW, India (Reuters) -Police in northern India fired shots in the air on Thursday to push back stone-throwing crowds and authorities shut off mobile internet in at least one district to forestall further chaos, as protests widened against a new military recruitment system.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government this week announced an overhaul of recruitment for India's 1.38 million-strong armed forces, looking to bring down the average age of personnel and reduce pension expenditure.

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