Passengers pulled out, cabs vandalised in parts of Delhi

Nearly 1,500 traffic policemen along with 5,000 local police staff were stationed to monitor the law and order situation in the city.

Violence was reported from some parts of the city during the strike on Thursday by auto-rickshaw and private cab drivers with protesters pulling passengers out of vehicles and threatening drivers to keep their vehicles off roads.

Complaints of cabs of drivers who did not agree to participate in the strike being vandalised and passengers being pulled out of cars and auto rickshaws were reported. (HT FILE)

Nearly 1,500 traffic policemen along with 5,000 local police staff were stationed to monitor the law and order situation in the city.

Apart from this, 10 companies of paramilitary force (around 1,000 personnel) were also deployed on streets.

However, complaints of cabs of drivers who did not agree to participate in the strike being vandalised and passengers being pulled out of cars and auto rickshaws were reported.

“I took an auto-rickshaw from Pandav Nagar to reach ITO. Firstly, the driver asked ₹250 because of the strike and then when we reached near Nizamuddin railway station, where I had some work, we were stopped by a mob. They (the crowd) asked me to get down, while some of the protesters pulled the driver out by his collar,” said Shahnawaz Khan, a commuter.

Khan claimed that two traffic policemen were present on the spot, but none of them intervened or allowed the auto to go forward.

“I walked from the Indraprastha Metro station up to Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,” he said.

At Anand Vihar and Akshardham, demonstrators allegedly turned violent and vandalised cabs and auto-rickshaws. Drivers were also reportedly threatened and beaten up there.

A video was circulated on social media of a mob pulling drivers out of auto-rickshaws. The video also shows the police taking away two protesters from the crowd, who were seen manhandling the drivers.

“The staff at all police stations was suitably briefed about the strike and their job. We had adequate police presence on roads. A total of 249 calls related to altercations, scuffle and manhandling with passengers as well as auto and cab drivers were received till evening. No serious incidents were reported to us,” said Anil Mittal, additional spokesperson of Delhi Police.

On being asked about two incidents of scuffle near Akshardham Temple and Anand Vihar bus terminal, deputy commissioner of police (east) Jasmeet Singh said, “There was no violence in either of the two places. Around 10 am, some 30 auto drivers sat near the service lane of road going towards Noida from Akshardham Temple as part of their strike. No scuffle happened. They left after some minutes. Similar protest took place on a road near the Anand Vihar bus terminal as well.”