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Mullanpur murder: Jittery tricity cabbies go off roads
Some of the commuters who travel by cabs had to wait long hours to get a ride, others were left stranded as drivers ended the trips midway
Commuters were left to face the brunt as taxi drivers from across the tricity went on a strike in protest against the murder of their colleague, Dharampal, who was stabbed in the throat by some unidentified passengers in the Mullanpur area on Monday.
Scores of commuters who travel by cabs, meanwhile, were left to wait for long hours, while a few were left stranded altogether when drivers ended the trips midway.
Gaurav Gupta, who was commuting from Ludhiana, said the taxi he was travelling in was stopped midway. He was asked to step down after protesters managed to convince his driver to join the protest. “I was in the middle of nowhere and had to walk for several minutes before finally getting an auto to reach Mohali,” Gupta said
Cab traffic in parts of Kharar, especially on the highway, came to a standstill, with drivers stepping out to protest and seeking speedy arrest of the accused. A section of taxi drivers demanded a ban on the app-based taxi services.
Parminder Singh and Jaspreet Singh, both leaders of a taxi drivers’ association that was on protest, reasoned, “Cases of robbery, snatching and murder are rising with drivers associated with online car booking services.”
Taxis were also seen lining up by the roadside to express solidarity with the deceased in some areas. Some of the drivers raised slogans and halted traffic under the Kharar flyover.
The effects of the gruesome crime were also witnessed in Chandigarh, with nearly three-fourths of cab drivers calling off work. Speaking about this, Tricity Cabs’ Association president Vikram Singh Pundir said, “There was no strike called by us or any union. Just as the murder news spread among taxi drivers, we called off work given the shocking nature of the incident.”
The taxis will start plying from Wednesday as Pundir said their association had met the police and were assured of speedy action.
Cab drivers in Panchkula also joined the protest, with anguished workers asking their colleagues to suspend work in the middle of their active rides akin to Mohali.
Unlike Chandigarh, the Haryana Cab Association called for a protest in Panchkula, batting for work to remain suspended for 24 hours. Association members were seen standingguard at the Hafed Chowk, Agrasen Chowk, Sector 16 and Housing Board Chowk to ensure compliance.
Body president Somvir Singh said the district’s 500-600 strong community of taxi drivers were demanding justice for Dharampal and the protest was a way to express their anger.
Notably, police have launched an investigation into the murder, but no vital information has come to the fore yet.
Probe officials said the murder did not come across as motivated by a robbery as the killers left the deceased’s car behind.
Kharar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Dharamvir Singh said the investigation was underway and the accused will be nabbed soon.
Dharampal, 35, was murdered near Palm Residency, Mullanpur barrier, around 9 pm on Monday. As per the available information, the deceased, whose cab had a Mohali-based registration plate, had picked up the passengers from Sector 43 and was headed to Mullanpur.
Eyewitnesses, meanwhile, said the police and the ambulance did not arrive at the spot for at least 25 minutes. The victim died on the spot due to excessive bleeding.
An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday. A murder case has been registered against the unidentified accused.
Dharampal, a native of Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, shared his taxi along with his two brothers. He was married, and has two minor sons who reside in Rajasthan with their mother. He stayed in Zirakpur with his sister for his livelihood. The victim’s brothers have demanded compensation for the family..
