Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police have achieved a major breakthrough in the violent protest and chaos that took place at Master Canteen Square in the state capital recently with the arrest of the absconding president of the Online Auto Association, Dinabandhu Nayak. He was apprehended from Puri.
During the auto drivers’ agitation at Master Canteen, Nayak had allegedly led the violence. Following the incident, he had been on the run, evading police. Before his arrest, he released a 14-minute video message on social media in which he apologised to the general public, expressed regret over the unfortunate events of that day, and clarified that there was no political motive behind the protest.
He stated that the drivers had been compelled to take to the roads to demand their rights.
Police have maintained a strict approach in the Master Canteen unrest case, with the number of vehicles seized in connection with the violence now standing at 380.
So far, 113 persons involved in the incident have been arrested and produced in court. Seven FIRs have been registered at Kharvel Nagar police station. Besides, the office of the taxi association linked to the violence was demolished using a bulldozer.
That apart, show-cause notices have been issued to 325 persons for violating permit conditions. In addition, 181 e-challans have been issued against vehicles lacking Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC), valid insurance, Fitness Certificate (FC), and other mandatory documents.
All 380 seized vehicles have also been booked under Section 201 of the Motor Vehicles Act through e-challans.
