Govt will crack down against unruly elements in Munnar, warns Kerala transport minister

A trip to Kerala’s Munnar turned sour for a Mumbai-based assistant professor after she was allegedly warned against hiring an Uber ride when she was about to leave the hill station after her vacation.

The woman, identified only by her first name, Janvi, claimed she was harassed by local taxi drivers who opposed her hiring an online taxi on October 30. When she called the police and the tourism department for help, they allegedly sided with the taxi union and told her she had no option but to go with them.

Also Read: Delivery manager arrested for stalking TV actress in Bengaluru

This incident has sparked massive outrage in Kerala and elsewhere after Janvi made a video about her experience. Since then, two taxi drivers have been arrested, and two police officials suspended. The Kerala transport minister has warned that the driving licences of those allegedly involved in the incident would be cancelled, and he said such harassment against women travellers must stop.

Minister promises strict action

Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar told The Federal that strict action would be taken against any such hooliganism against tourists in Kerala.

“Two taxi drivers have been arrested, and two police officers suspended. I have noticed such incidents have been occurring for some time, especially in Munnar. When KSRTC introduced the double-decker buses, they did the same. But we dealt with it legally. Online taxis are free to operate anywhere,” KB Ganesh Kumar told The Federal.

The minister also said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had a word with him. ‘We have had a discussion and the CM has also asked all stakeholders to take strict action against such elements. I am hearing about multiple violations and soon there will be a crackdown. We are watching the developments closely,'' the minister added.

However, transport department sources told The Federal that app-cab platforms such as Uber and Ola do not have licence to operate in Kerala and they need to apply for it for smoother services in the state.

Video statement

On November 3, days after the incident, Janvi posted a three-minute video and shared her awful experience. She said her trip to Munnar was “absolutely breathtaking”. However, she said she would not visit Kerala again due to the horrible experience she faced.

According to that video, on October 30, when she was preparing to leave Munnar, her host informed her that online taxis such as Uber or Ola were not allowed there because online taxi services threaten the livelihoods of local drivers in the popular mountain getaway of Kerala. The host reportedly told her that local taxi unions were against Uber and Ola rides in the town.

Also Read: Satara doctor suicide: Kin of accused claims doctor harassed him for marriage

However, due to the safety concerns, Janvi contacted her Uber driver and asked him to meet her at another location so that they would not be noticed. “While we were loading our bags, five or six men suddenly appeared—apparently they had been following us. They started threatening our cab driver, saying he could not take us,” she said in the video.

‘You are not allowed’

When she sought help from the police, two officers from the department reached the spot and had a conversation with the local taxi drivers instead of heeding her pleas. “They came, but went straight to the union members without saying a single word to us. After a brief conversation with them, the police told us we couldn’t travel with Uber or Ola,” she alleged.

Also Read: Aus cricketers’ molestation draws widespread condemnation, sparks political storm

She also tried to reach Kerala Tourism officials, who also told her the same. “Everybody kept throwing the same sentence at us: ‘You are not allowed.’ You are not allowed to decide who you travel with. You are not allowed to feel safe. You are not allowed to exercise your constitutional rights,” she said.

Janvi's video went viral, prompting Munnar police to register a suo-motu case against those who were allegedly involved in the matter.

Cabbies identified

Munnar police registered a case against the taxi drivers identified from the footage on November 2. Following that, police arrested two taxi drivers, identified as Vinayakan and Vijayakumar, both Munnar natives, on the following day. Police said another taxi driver seen in the video would be arrested soon.

Police booked them under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 135(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Meanwhile, two police officials who intervened to resolve the issue between taxi drivers and the tourist, Sub Inspector George Kurian and Assistant Sub Inspector Saju Paulose of Munnar Police Station, were suspended from service on November 3. A police official said disciplinary actions would be taken against them after the investigation.

Also Read: Bengaluru Uber driver arrested for allegedly harassing woman for not speaking Kannada

Police have been trying to contact Janvi to record her statement as part of the probe, a police official said. After a police complaint, Janvi took down her video from social media. But it has already gone viral and is still being shared by other means.

Govt talks tough

As the matter concerned the safety of women travellers to the state, the ministers issued strict warnings against those who try to harass travellers. Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas called the incident “unfortunate” and said such incidents should not be repeated in Kerala.

“This issue needs to be discussed with other departments. Tourists come to Kerala with a lot of hope because the state is considered one of the safest destinations,” the minister said at a press meet.

Incidentally, in 2016, the Kerala High Court had ruled that online taxi services like Ola and Uber have every right to operate in all public areas. The court affirmed that people have the constitutional right to choose their mode of transport, and this right cannot be infringed upon by other taxi drivers or unions.