New Delhi:
The entry and exit points of three Delhi Metro stations near Parliament have been reopened after a brief closure on Monday due to the ongoing protest by JNU students, authorities said. "Entry or exit at Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat have been opened. Trains are halting at all 3 stations. Entry/exit gates for Lok Kalyan Marg are still closed and trains will not be halting at the station," the DMRC tweeted.
Protesting JNU students, who were detained near Safdarjung Fort, taken to Kalkalji Police Station by @DelhiPolice#JNUProtests
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) November 18, 2019
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Earlier, thousands of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, carrying placards and chanting slogans, marched towards Parliament on the first day of the Winter Session, but were stopped by police near the Jor Bagh Metro Station.
Traffic in some parts of the Lutyens' Delhi has been affected after the JNU students, protesting against the increased hostel fee, marched towards Parliament, the police.
Vehicles on Nelson Mandela Marg, Aurobindo Marg and Baba Gang Nath Marg are heading at a snail's pace, a senior police officer said.
A number of JNU students have been detained and some injured when the police allegedly baton-charged and stopped them at many places as thousands of protesters marched towards the Parliament.
The students, who were holding a protest on the university's premises for the past three weeks, hit the streets carrying placards and chanting slogans, seeking to get the attention of the Parliament about their demand. The protesters asserted that they would not relent until the government withdraws the hike.
Hundreds of police personnel stopped the students on the Baba Ganganath Marg, around 600 metres from the main gate of the university in south Delhi and some of them were forcefully stopped from moving ahead. Several leaders of the agitation were detained by the police when they insisted on marching forward.
Initially, the barricades outside the Jawaharlal Nehru University's gates were removed and the students were allowed to march. Later the students managed to march till Safdarjung Tomb near Lodhi road, where the students were stopped again as the Delhi police officials tried to strike a dialogue with the protesters.
The students took to Twitter to share pictures from the march and the injuries they received, allegedly due to the baton charge by the police, with the hashtag 'EmergencyinJNU' trending on the microblogging site. The entry and exit points of three Delhi metro stations near Parliament were shut down temporarily, while trains were not halting at Udyog Bhawan and Patel Chowk stations.
Traffic also went out of gear on the Nelson Mandela Marg, Aurobindo Marg and Baba Gangnath Marg among other intersections. The top brass of the Delhi police remained on its toes to control the crowd as slogans against the force reverberated.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Human Resource Development appointed a three-member committee to recommend ways to restore normal functioning of the JNU which has been witnessing periodic protests by students over a variety of issues.
While the committee will initiate dialogue with the students and varsity administration immediately and submit recommendations on actions to be taken. The UGC will provide required support for functioning of the committee.
(With PTI inputs)
