Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 In a swift action following the viral video of a woman tourist being harassed by local taxi drivers in Munnar, the Kerala Police, on Monday, have suspended two officials and taken two taxi drivers -- identified as Vinayakan and Vijayakumar -- into custody.
The case has sparked widespread outrage on social media, prompting the state government to promise corrective steps to ensure tourist safety in the hill station.
The video, originally posted by Janvi, a Mumbai-based assistant professor, showed a group of taxi drivers confronting and intimidating her and her friends for booking an online cab instead of a local taxi near the KSRTC bus stand in Munnar on October 30.
The drivers, reportedly opposed to app-based taxi services, allegedly warned the tourists that they would not be allowed to travel unless they hired local taxis.
Janvi alleged that when she approached the police for help, officers failed to act, echoing the stance of the taxi union.
"We were forced to take another vehicle and eventually cut short our trip out of fear," she said in the video, which has since been deleted but had already gone viral.
Following the public outcry, the Munnar police registered a suo motu case under Sections 126(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.
The FIR did not initially name any accused, but police have since identified three taxi drivers, two of whom are in custody, with the third expected to be taken into custody soon.
State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas called the incident "unfortunate" and said it "should never have happened," adding that steps will be taken to strengthen police vigilance and prevent the harassment of tourists in the future.
The incident has reignited debate over the monopoly of local taxi unions in tourist destinations and the challenges faced by app-based cab services in Kerala.
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