BHUBANESHWAR/LUCKNOW: Indianauthorities suspended Internet services in several parts of theeastern state of Bihar in a bid to stop public gatherings andviolent protests over a military recruitment plan, policeofficials said on Saturday.

One protestor was killed and more than a dozen have beeninjured in a series of protests in some regions of the countryagainst Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new policy to hiresoldiers for short tenures.

The Agnipath or “path of fire” system aims to bring morepeople into the military on four-year contracts to lower theaverage age of India’s 1.38 million-strong armed forces and cutburgeoning pension costs, the government said.

Protesters, mainly young men, say the plan will limitopportunities for permanent jobs with the defence forces, whichguarantee fixed salaries, pensions and other benefits.

Many took to the streets in Bihar, Telangana, Uttar Pradeshand West Bengal to protest against this plan.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapphave been blocked in 15 of 38 districts of Bihar, said SanjaySingh, a senior police official in the state, where protestersburned passenger trains and buses this week to express theiroutrage.

In Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, policedetained at least 250 people under what are called preventativearrests. Some demonstrators accused the police of usingexcessive force.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has appealed to youthto apply under the new scheme. The navy chief said on Friday theprotests were unexpected and probably the result ofmisinformation about the new system.

“I didn’t anticipate any protests like this,” Admiral R.Hari Kumar told Reuters TV partner ANI. “It is the singlebiggest human resource management transformation that has everhappened in the Indian military.”