Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: Airport police arrested an auto driver on Tuesday for harassing passenger Binita Ghosh and her family. The incident occurred on July 24 outside the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala. Ghosh was traveling with her ailing father to Siddhi Ashram when a group of local drivers intercepted their Uber vehicle.
The suspects demanded inflated fares and swarmed the car. One driver snatched the ignition key from the Uber driver, Sriram Debnath. The group threatened the passengers, boasting that they were untouchable by the law. Debnath finally recovered his key and finished the trip.
Formal complaints were filed by both Ghosh and Debnath. Debnath reported that the group obstructed his work and subjected him to verbal abuse. The Transport Department identified two suspects: Dipankar Debnath, who drives auto TR-01-K-2365, and Jhutan Acharjee, driver of TR-01-F-2988. Officials issued show-cause notices to cancel their driving permits. One driver is now in custody.
Video footage of the confrontation surfaced on social media, igniting a debate about local transport syndicates. The department warned that these actions violate the Motor Vehicles Act. Authorities confirmed they are tracking every individual involved. An official stated, "Authorities have assured that all those involved will be identified and action taken to restore passenger confidence in airport transport services."
Public calls for mandatory uniforms and guaranteed access for app-based transport continue to grow. This case serves as a major test for how Tripura handles organized harassment at public hubs.
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