Six police personnel sustained injuries when a group of agitating autorickshaw drivers started hurling stones at them near the mini Vidhana Soudha in the city on Monday.
Gulbarga SP Satishkumar said that hundreds of autorickshaw drivers took out a procession to mini Vidhana Soudha on Monday morning and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. While returning, they pelted stones at police, which provoked the cops to resort to lathi-charge, he said. About 18 auto drivers were arrested for vandalism.
The autorickshaw drivers resorted to road blockade and refused to take out their vehicles. They also blocked the road at Sardar Patel Circle. In the memorandum they asked the Deputy Commissioner to instruct the NEKRTC to run Nrupatunga buses to improve connectivity of the rural areas to the city, instead of concentrating on various centres in the city. They also opposed Nrupatunga buses to the super market area and suggested to divert the bus route from Jagat Circle. The autorickshaw drivers also asked the DC to direct the Nrupatunga bus drivers not park the buses in places meant for auto parking.
Their other demands include measures to stop police harassment, to open more auto stands, to provide security to auto drivers and to open more fuel filling units in the city. In the wake of the autorickshaw drivers’ strike, NEKRTC made arrangements to run additional services in the city.