Following a viral video depicting a woman tourist alleging ill-treatment by local taxi drivers in Munnar, authorities have taken action against the involved individuals and police personnel. The incident reportedly stemmed from local drivers allegedly blocking the tourist's vehicle over a dispute concerning online taxi services.
Munnar police registered a suo motu case, leading to the arrest of three taxi drivers. Subsequently, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) suspended the licenses of these three drivers for a period of six months, an order reportedly issued by Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar. The MVD also indicated that permit cancellation processes would be initiated based on the police report. Furthermore, the Idukki District Police Chief, K.M. Sabu Mathew, suspended two police personnel from the Munnar station for failing to provide timely assistance to the tourist.
In response to these actions, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organized a protest march to the Munnar police station. Protesters alleged that the police had registered a "fake case" against the drivers, demanding its withdrawal and the reinstatement of their licenses and permits. A BJP leader stated that the drivers were primarily expressing concerns about the potential loss of their livelihood if online taxi services were permitted in the area.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/tourists-allegation-bjp-bms-take-out-protest-march-in-support-of-munnar-taxi-drivers/article70244820.ece