BHUBANESWAR: Vehicular movement was severely disrupted on the Rajmahal and AG square stretch in the city on Tuesday after the online auto-rickshaw drivers’ association laid siege to the Capital police station protesting the arrest of one of the members.
The said auto driver was arrested in connection with a clash that occurred on Kumar Purnima night near Master Canteen square during which some offline auto drivers allegedly assaulted a member of the Smart City Online Auto Drivers’ Association for accepting a booking from the spot.
“The driver had gone to the spot to pick a passenger who had booked the auto online when offline auto drivers allegedly thrashed him. He sustained critical injuries in the attack. However, police have arrested one of our members who was present at the scene, though he was just trying to protect the victim from the attack,” said one of the agitating drivers.
The online auto drivers further demanded that they be provided social security and permission to lift passengers from near the railway station, airport, Baramunda bus stand and other public places the same way offline auto drivers do.
The agitators called off the protest after police intervention. Sources said police have arrested four persons, including one member of the online auto association in connection with the fight near Master Canteen square on Kumar Purnima night.
