Auto drivers' protest causes traffic jam

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 27. Vehicular traffic in the City was disrupted for hours when autorickshaw drivers went on a snap strike in Majestic on Wednesday. Police resorted to caning to disperse the mob.

Trouble started at noon when hundreds of autorickshaw drivers started gathering at Khoday's Circle and on Railway Station Road (H.C.Dasappa Road), Ananda Rao Circle and Cottonpet Circle (Thotaddpa Choultry Circle) in protest against the ``high- handedness'' of the police. They claimed that police were foisting false cases against them. Cases were also being booked against drivers of autorickshaws having the registration numbers in Kannada, they alleged.

The protest gained momentum when other autorickshaw drivers joined the strike and parked their vehicles haphazardly on Railway Station Road and the Khoday's Circle.

The drivers regretted that though several memoranda had been submitted to the Government, their demands had not been met. They alleged that police were insisting that registration numbers of vehicles be displayed in English. Harassment of autorickshaw drivers was on the rise, they complained.

The flash strike disrupted road traffic for several hours. With traffic hold-ups being reported on almost all roads leading to the railway station and the bus stand, police repeatedly urged autorickshaw drivers to end the stir. They invited a delegation of drivers for talks to sort out the issue.

When the drivers insisted on continuing the strike, police chased them away by resorting to caning. They first cleared the H.C.Dasappa Circle and then Railway Station Road, and later the Khoday's Circle and the Ananda Rao Circle.

The drivers began hurling stones at policemen. The windscreens of a few autorickshaws were damaged and some persons were taken into custody. One person, who suffered injuries, was admitted to hospital.

Meanwhile, J.C.Road, Kempe Gowda Road, Subedar Chatram Road, Sujatha Cinema Road, Ananda Rao Circle, Hudson Circle, Seshadri Road, Post Office Road, Palace Road and Race Course Road reported traffic hold-ups. With vehicular movement disrupted for two hours from noon, almost all major roads witnessed traffic disruption, putting passengers to hardship.

Police, however, maintained that there was no lathi charge and the autorickshaw drivers dispersed after being warned. The Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mr. Ajay Kumar Singh, said it was mandatory for vehicle owners to display their registration numbers in English. The use of Kannada was optional. The rule had been in force for years.

A case of rioting has been registered against some autorickshaw drivers in Upparpet Police Station. Ten of them were arrested and as many autorickshaws seized.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Gurupoornima celebrations
Next     : Shortage of nurses ails Victoria Hospital