The offices of private taxi operator Ola in Chakala area of Andheri (east) were reportedly attacked on Tuesday evening by the Nitesh Rane-led Swabhimaan Sangathna, a black-and-yellow taxi union.
The union is headed by K.K. Tiwari, who slapped Uber general manager Shailesh Sawlani in December last year at Bandra when private operators had met with the then transport commissioner Mahesh Zhagade to have a dialogue about security measures that could be taken after an Uber taxi driver allegedly raped a female passenger in Delhi . “This (the attack) is something that has occurred as a spontaneous reaction by the taxi drivers who have been facing declining business due to Ola cabs,” saidMr Tiwari, who has claimed that around 50 to 60 drivers had attacked private taxi operator’s services.
The incident happens to fall on the same day when a very small number of black-and-yellow taxis stayed off the road in Bhoiwada and Wadala due to a protest strike called by the senior-most union leader A.L. Quadros and his union, Mumbai Taximen Union, against harassment by traffic police.
The union is also the strongest in the city. Co-incidentally, Mr Tiwari had called for a complete strike against Ola and Uber in particular on November 19 as most commuters have taken to these services due to their punctual nature and pocket-friendly services.
Mr Tiwari has said that this is only the beginning of the show of strength the Sanghatna intends to display on Thursday. “This is only the trailer, the entire picture is yet to come,” he added. According to the police, about seven to eight persons rioted in the office Chakala area but no arrests have been made so far.
According to the Andheri police, it was reported at around 7 pm that seven to eight persons broke the glasses of the Ola office and fled from the spot. “We have registered an first information report under rioting sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Bombay Police Act. About seven to eight persons are involved in the case. We are trying to identify the accused in the case,” said deputy commissioner of police, zone X, Vinayak Deshmukh.
