37 auto drivers, including top officials of unions arrested for unauthorised protest in Pune

The agitation led to acute traffic jams causing inconvenience to school-going kids, workers and commuters

Bund Garden Police, on Monday, arrested 37 autorickshaw drivers, including office bearers, for blocking public roads and creating a ruckus in violation of the rules during the indefinite protest or Chakka Jam Andolan in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas.

The auto drivers parked their autos at the entrance and exit of the RTO office. (HT PHOTO/ RAHUL RAUT)

They have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 143, 144,145,147,149,353,336, 342,188 and Criminal Law Amendment Act Sections 3 and 7, Maharashtra Police Regulation Act 1951, Section 37(1) (3) and Section 135.

The accused arrested have been identified as Baghtoy Rickshawala Forum president Keshav Kshirsagar, Aam Aadmi Rickshaw Union president Anand Ankush, Pune district Vahatuk Seva Sanghatana president Sanjay Kavade, Shivneri Auto Union president Ashok Salekar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Auto Union president Kishore Chintamani, RPI Vahtuk Aghadi President Aziz Sayyed, P Ashirwad Auto Union President Farooque Bagwale, AIMIM Auto President Baba Sayyed, Shiva Vahtuk president Shiva Bhogali among other office-bearers.

According to police, the Bike Taxi Virodhi Andolan Samiti, an umbrella organisation of sixteen auto unions, held a meeting with the regional transport office (RTO) officials on December 12, wherein the organisation had informed that they would start an indefinite strike if their demands are not met.

A meeting of all auto union office bearers was chaired by DCP (zone II ) Smartana Patil where they were told that it would be against the law to block traffic as it would lead to public inconvenience. Barring Maharashtra Rickshaw Panchayat President Baba Kamble, all the auto unions went ahead with the indefinite strike and were served Cr PC notice 149 by the police.

The agitation led to acute traffic jams causing inconvenience to school-going kids, workers and commuters. The agitating unions prevented government officials from discharging their official duty who stepped up to decongest the chowk. At the same time, they prevented an ambulance carrying a patient from passing through the area and forced the driver to take another road. The auto drivers parked their autos at the entrance and exit of the RTO office to prevent the staff from getting inside the office and also exiting the office.

Pratap Mankar, Bund Garden police station incharge, said, “We have booked them under relevant sections and arrested thirty-seven persons so far. They have been produced before the district court on completion of the arrest.”