Bhubaneswar, Aug 20: Tension gripped Bhubaneswar’s Master Canteen Square on Tuesday afternoon as a protest by online auto and cab drivers spiraled into violent clashes with police.
What began as a demonstration over various demands quickly turned into chaos, leaving more than 20 police personnel injured and several buses damaged.
According to officials, the unrest erupted around noon when hundreds of drivers suddenly turned aggressive, pelting stones at police and attacking public transport vehicles. The situation escalated rapidly, forcing police to resort to mild lathi‑charge to disperse the crowd.
Also read: Online Cab Drivers, Police Clash as Chaos Erupts in Bhubaneswar
Witnesses reported that over seven buses were vandalized during the stone‑pelting, while commuters were left stranded as traffic came to a standstill in the capital city.
Police later confirmed that 113 individuals were arrested and produced in court, while another 60 were released on good‑behaviour notices. In addition, 354 vehicles were seized in connection with the incident.
