Bhubaneswar Rideshare Protest: 113 Arrested

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Bhubaneswar rideshare drivers protest led to clashes with police near Master Canteen and Station Square.
Police arrested 113 people and forwarded them to court, while another 60 were released on bonds.
Protesters were demanding government regulation of aggregator fares and compensation for waiting time and cancellations.

BHUBANESWAR: Police have arrested 113 people following violence during a rideshare drivers’ protest near Master Canteen and Station Square in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.

According to a police press note issued on Thursday, all 113 arrested persons were forwarded to court. Another 60 people were released on bonds after being directed to maintain good behaviour.

The arrests followed clashes between app-based taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers and police during a demonstration over fare regulation and other demands.

Bhubaneswar Rideshare Drivers Protest Leads to Seven FIRs

Seven FIRs have been registered at Kharavela Nagar police station in connection with the violence.

Two cases were registered following complaints from members of the public, while four were based on reports submitted by Ama Bus staff. The remaining FIR was filed following a complaint by a police personnel.

Police alleged that protesters blocked roads using vehicles and later engaged in violence, including stone pelting and damage to public property.

At least 10 Ama buses and two police vehicles were allegedly vandalised during the confrontation.

Bhubaneswar Rideshare Drivers Protest Centres on Fare Dispute

The protest began over concerns surrounding fares charged by app-based taxi and bike-taxi platforms.

The drivers were seeking a system under which the government and online aggregators would jointly determine minimum and maximum fares. They also wanted compensation for time spent waiting for passengers and for cancellations.

The dispute reflects a wider concern among app-based drivers over earnings after fuel, vehicle maintenance, platform-related costs and unpaid waiting time are taken into account.

Police Action Follows Master Canteen Violence

The situation escalated when protesters allegedly blocked traffic and clashed with security personnel.

Police used baton charges and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Several police personnel were injured, including Capital police station Inspector-in-Charge Radhakanta Sahu.

The police action and subsequent arrests have shifted attention from the drivers’ original demands to questions surrounding public order, damage to public property and accountability for the violence.