Mangalore: Policeman accidentally breaks rickshaw glass, drivers go on protest

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, May 24: Auto rickshaw drivers staged a flash protest near Muthappa Temple here on Friday May 24, after a traffic policeman accidentally broke an auto rickshaw's windshield.

Moidin, an auto rickshaw driver from Adyar, was ferrying passengers to the railway station. He stopped the auto (KA 19 AA 505) near Muthappan Temple in railway colony.

When the passengers were alighting from the auto, a traffic policeman approached Moidin and asked him to move his auto a little further away. However, to caution him, the policeman hit the windshield harder than he intended to, and broke the glass on the auto.

Angered by the incident, auto drivers including Moidin gathered together and started protesting. They raised slogans and demanded immediate action in the matter. The protest lasted for about 45 minutes, locals said.

Inspector C N Diwakar arrived at the spot and calmed down the protestors. He assured that he will bring the matter to the notice of higher authorities and that the police would repair the auto.

In response, Ivan D'Souza, president of auto rickshaw owners' union who was among the protestors warned that if the auto was not repaired within three days, they would protest in front of the traffic police station until their demands were met.

Following the assurance by inspector Diwakar, the protest was withdrawn.