App-based cab and bike drivers’ strike turns violent in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar
Agitators allegedly turned violent and hurled stones at the force deployed; the cease-work protest began on August 17, pressing for the fulfilment of their seven-point charter of demands, including a fare hike, reduction in application fees, social security and other benefits
A strike by app-based cab drivers and bike riders in Bhubaneswar, India, turned violent on Wednesday, August 19, as they vandalized government-run Ama buses and threw stones at police personnel, according to police. The protest began on August 17, demanding a fare increase, lower application fees, and better social security and benefits.
Hundreds of taxis and bikes obstructed traffic on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, disrupting transportation in Master Canteen and railway station areas. When police asked protesters to clear the road, the demonstrators allegedly responded with violence, hurling stones at the officers. Several police officers sustained facial injuries, and multiple protesters were arrested and vehicles seized.
The Bhubaneswar DCP stated that the protest was illegal and over two days, causing inconvenience to the public. DCP Jagmohan Meena also dismissed the protesters' demands as illogical, as they were targeting private companies and not the government. The situation was resolved, and traffic resumed normalcy.
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