Mangaluru: No permission to seize cabs with passengers, says DK DC

Mangaluru: Taxi drivers alleged seizure of their vehicles by police for election duty while they are ferrying passengers.

An incident took place on Monday, with drivers protesting that police had alighted passengers and seized their cabs in some parts of the city.

The Dakshina Kannada Taxi Men and Maxicab Association president, Anand K., has accused the authorities of forcibly seizing vehicles without making alternative arrangements for the drivers, causing inconvenience to passengers who had already booked the taxis for events like weddings.

“Vehicles have already been given to RTO for election reasons. Despite this, the police are forcibly seizing the vehicles while the passengers are traveling. The authorities will not make any alternative arrangements for the drivers of the vehicles so acquired. If the authorities give more trouble, we will boycott the May 10 elections,” said Anand K.

Ravikumar MR, the Deputy Commissioner of D.K. clarified that while government vehicles, vehicles of companies, and industries of public sector undertakings are used for elections, public vehicles are only used if more vehicles are required. However, he emphasized that there is no permission to seize vehicles with passengers, and the district administration can be contacted for any complaints about this.