SP workers protest against Lucknow Metro disruption, Lathicharged by police

Lucknow: Hundreds of Samajwadi Party (SP) workers protesting against the disruption of Metro Rail services in the state capital on the very first day of operations on Wednesday were lathicharged by police.

One of the Lucknow Metro trains had developed a technical snag on its maiden run and more than 100 passengers remained trapped inside the train for over an hour.

The SP workers were protesting outside the Transport Nagar Metro station and demanding an apology from the Yogi Adityanath government for the inconvenience caused to commuters on the very first day.

"When they are so overzealous in taking undue credit for the Metro, they should also accept the flaws and take responsibility for the snag and apologise," a SP leader said.

Police tried to remove them forcibly from outside the Metro station and cane-charged them when they refused to budge.

Earlier in the day, soon after the technical snag stranded the Metro train, former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, under whom the project had taken off, taunted the state government and asked why this had happened.

He tweeted from his personal handle why after safety audit, technical clearance and many a trial run had the Metro Rail developed a technical snag on the very first day of its run.

His party has been accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party government of hijacking the good work done under its regime and taking credit for it.

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