Bus, Auto Drivers Clash; 3 Injured

PARADIP: Tension prevailed in Paradip following a clash between auto-rickshaw drivers and private bus owners over plying of town buses in the port town on Thursday. At least three persons have been injured in the clash.

Protesting the plying of town buses, hundreds of irate auto-rickshaw drivers pelted stones and ransacked two town busses at Atharbanki here. Driver of a bus Surendra Nayak and owner of another bus, Rajesh Nayak, sustained injuries in the attack. In retaliation, bus drivers attacked an auto-rickshaw driver Pruna Chandra Swain. The injured have been admitted to Atharbanki Government Hospital.

Sources said on November 26, Chairman of Paradip Municipality Sumant Biswal had flagged off the plying of three town buses from Sandhkuda to Badapadia in the town. Later, the bus services were extended to Nehrubangla, the fishing harbour, where hundreds of fishermen travel daily. Auto-rickshaw drivers alleged that their livelihoods have been affected after the launching of bus services. Around 350 auto-rickshaws are plying in different routes in the port town.

Paradip police station IIC Bichitra Samal said seven auto-rickshaw drivers have been detained for questioning. After filing of FIRs by the injured persons, three separate cases have been registered and investigation is on, he added.

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