Cooch Behar, Oct. 5 -- Tension erupted in the Ghughumari area of Cooch Behar on Sunday following a dispute between private bus drivers and e-rickshaw, toto drivers over the movement of totos and battery operated autos on national and state highways. Police from Cooch Behar Kotwali Police Station reached the spot and brought the situation under control after protesters blocked the road, disrupting traffic for some time.
According to local sources, a dispute was going on between private bus workers and e-rickshaw and battery-operated auto drivers over the operation of e-rickshaws and battery-operated autos on national and state highways. The e-auto drivers alleged that private bus workers stopped vehicles in Ghughumari and prevented them from operating on the highways. They also alleged that passengers were made to get down from some e-rickshaws.
Angered by the incident, e-rickshaw and battery-operated auto drivers blocked the road and staged a protest. Police arrived and attempted to clear the blockade, following which a scuffle reportedly broke out between the police and protesters. Police later removed the blockade and restored traffic movement.
Meanwhile, Bappa Dutta, secretary of the Cooch Behar district Private Bus Owners' Association, said: "According to government guidelines, e-rickshaws and battery-operated autos cannot ply on national and state highways. Vehicles operating in violation of the guidelines are affecting our business. It will become increasingly difficult to run bus services if this continues."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.