File Photo. Photo Source: ANI
Several additional metro stations closed due to farmers' protest
New Delhi, January 26, 2021 (ANI): The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Tuesday announced that the entry and exit gates of all stations of the Grey Line have been closed, as clashes between the farmers and Delhi Police intensified during protests against the Centre's three new farm laws.
"Security Update Entry/exit gates of all stations on grey line are closed," tweeted DMRC. Meanwhile, entry and exit was also barred at Dilshad Garden, Jhilmil, Mansarovar Park and Jama Masjid metro stations. "Security Update Entry/exit gates of Dilshad Garden, Jhilmil and Mansarovar Park are closed," DMRC tweeted.
"Security Update Entry/exit gates of Jama Masjid metro station are closed," it said in a subsequent tweet. The gates of several other metro stations had been closed earlier today as the protests intensified.
"Entry/exit gates of Samaypur Badli, Rohini Sector 18/19, Haiderpur Badli Mor, Jahangir Puri, Adarsh Nagar, Azadpur, Model Town, GTB Nagar, Vishwavidyalaya, Vidhan Sabha and Civil Lines are closed," DMRC tweeted. Entry/exit gates of all stations on the green line, Lal Quila, Indraprastha and ITO metro stations have been closed.
This comes amid reports of farmers breaking barricades to enter Delhi and indulging in vandalism poured from several parts of the city. Protesting farmers had also reached ITO after breaking police barricades placed opposite old Delhi Police headquarters and were seen attacking police personnel and vandalising vehicles.
Police used tear gas shells to disperse the protesting farmers at ITO in central Delhi. Meanwhile, farmer leader and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait denied any reports of violence by farmers. "Rally is going on peacefully. I don't have any knowledge of it (violence). We are at Ghazipur and are releasing the traffic here," he said.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)