The ongoing strike by online cab drivers took a violent turn on Wednesday as clashes broke out between protesters and police at Master Canteen Square and Lower PMG.
Demonstrators hurled glass bottles and stones at police personnel, damaging a bus in the process.
The situation escalated into a physical confrontation, forcing police to resort to a lathi‑charge to disperse the crowd and restore order. Traffic from the railway station to the airport came to a standstill, leaving passengers stranded and ordinary citizens facing severe inconvenience.
Police detained several agitating drivers and seized vehicles involved in the blockade. DCP Jagmohan Meena was present at the site, reviewing the situation and issuing necessary instructions.
Authorities confirmed that the protest was initially peaceful but later turned violent as drivers intensified their agitation against PMG‑related policies. While the exact number of injuries or arrests has not yet been disclosed, police said the situation is now under control with additional forces deployed.
The strike, now in its third day, has crippled ride‑hailing services across Bhubaneswar, with offline fares soaring up to three times the usual rates. The drivers, under the banner of the All Odisha Gig Workers’ Union, continue to press for fare regulation, compensation for waiting time, and restrictions on adding new vehicles to aggregator platforms.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena issued a stern warning following the violent clashes. He stated that vehicles involved in vandalism would be seized and FIRs filed against offenders, leading to arrests and court proceedings. The DCP emphasised that the drivers’ demands were “unrealistic” and beyond the government’s purview, as they are linked to private companies. He added that permission had been granted for a day’s protest, but agitators deliberately caused public inconvenience by blocking roads. Several drivers have already been detained, and police have intensified enforcement to restore order in the capital.
