A video reveals how auto rickshaw drivers have vented their ire on Mohammed, an Uber taxi driver. They also rebuked and threatened Vidhya Gopalakrishnan who was in the Uber taxi at that time at Ernakulam South railway station in Kerala.
In the latest series of attacks by Uber taxi aggregator services, Mohammed, a native of Guruvayoor, was attacked at the entrance of the railway station when he picked up the passenger at 7.30 am. Gopalakrishnan, a Kochi-based fashion designer, who had arrived from Bengaluru and was on her way to Kakkanad, was also threatened following which she has lodged a complaint with the City Police Commissioner.
In the video, it can be seen that auto rickshaw drivers surrounded the Uber taxi shouting abuses that these online taxi services were not permitted to ply within the area. The auto rickshaw drivers were also seen shouting at the passenger, asking her to board a pre paid auto rickshaw to drive her to her destination.
Her pleas that she did not have ready cash fell on deaf ears with the rickshaw drivers stating that she could stop at the ATM while police present at the railway station were also of little assistance.
Gopalakrishnan was aware that the situation could get murky and hence dialed the Police Control Room and lodged her complaint. The arrival of the cops also failed to resolve the situation but it was only with the support of 1 officer and the lapse of over one and a half hours that Gopalakrishnan was allowed to resume her journey. Surprisingly, in the same Uber cab!
