Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 After initially remaining silent, the Munnar police in Kerala have registered a suo motu case following a viral video posted by a Mumbai-based tourist alleging harassment by local taxi drivers during her visit to the hill station.
The video triggered widespread outrage online and prompted State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas to promise corrective action.
The woman, identified as Janvi, an assistant professor from Mumbai, alleged that she and her friends were threatened by members of a local taxi union on October 30 when they tried to book an Uber cab near the KSRTC bus stand in Munnar.
The drivers, reportedly opposed to app-based services, allegedly warned them that they would not be allowed to travel unless they hired local taxis.
When she approached the police for help, the officers allegedly echoed the stance of the taxi union.
“We were forced to take another vehicle and eventually cut short our trip out of fear,” Janvi said in the Instagram video posted on October 31.
Based on the viral video, Munnar police registered a case on November 2 at 6 p.m. under Sections 126(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.
The FIR does not name any accused so far. Police said they are trying to contact the complainant for a formal statement.
Janvi said the union taxi drivers had demanded nearly three times the app-based fare, and after she shared her experience online, several people messaged her recounting similar experiences in other states.
“Kerala is beautiful and its hospitality is remarkable, but I can't visit a place where I don’t feel safe,” she said.
Calling the incident “unfortunate”, Tourism Minister Riyas on Monday said it “should never have happened” and assured that steps would be taken to prevent such incidents and protect tourist safety.
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