Chandigarh, Jun 20 (IANS): The Haryana government on Monday ordered the closure of all private coaching institutions in Mahendragarh and Jhajjar districts with the protests against the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme getting intense.

Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Shakti Singh ordered closure of all private coaching centres and academies till further orders and imposed Section 144 in the district.

Officials suspect the role of private employment and coaching centres in instigating the youth to protest against the government scheme.

Keeping the sensitivity of the issue that is under investigation, the administration ordered the closure of all private coaching institutes till further order, an official told IANS.

The agitation against the Central government's Agnipath recruitment scheme continued for a fifth day on Monday, with protesters blocking roads in parts of Haryana, largely close to the National Capital Region (NCR). Farmers' organisations and khap panchayats (community courts) also joined the stir.

The protests were largely reported from Rohtak, Jhajjar, Narnaul, Faridabad, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri, and Gurugram districts.

The government has defended the scheme, calling it "transformative".