BHUBANESWAR: The ongoing strike by app-based cab drivers and bike riders in Bhubaneswar turned violent on Wednesday, with protesters allegedly throwing stones at police and vandalising government-run Ama buses, police said.Drivers and riders registered with various online ride-hailing platforms began a cease-work protest on August 17, demanding the fulfilment of a seven-point charter of demands. Their demands include a fare hike, reduction in application fees, social security and other benefits.Hundreds of taxis and bikes took out a rally from Raj Mahal Square before parking along Mahatma Gandhi Marg. The move blocked the road and disrupted traffic around Master Canteen and the railway station.Police said they tried to persuade the protesters to clear the road, but the situation escalated.The protesters allegedly hurled stones at police personnel deployed at the spot, a police officer said. Several Ama city buses were also vandalised during the protest, he added.Some police personnel were injured in the confrontation, while several protesters were detained and vehicles seized, the officer said.Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said police had permitted the protesters to demonstrate on Mahatma Gandhi Marg for one day on August 17, but they continued the agitation for another two days.“They blocked the major city road, causing inconvenience to the public,” Meena said.“It is a completely illegal protest. We have detained more than 30 people. The vehicles parked on the road will also be seized, and legal action will be taken against them,” he said.Calling the protesters’ demands “illogical”, the DCP said, “They staged a protest against private companies. The government has no role to play.”The situation has now returned to normal and vehicular movement has resumed, Meena said.However, the strike affected passengers and daily commuters, with a large number of cabs, bikes and auto-rickshaws remaining off the roads.
