SHILLONG, JULY 3: Meghalaya Tourist Transporters’ Association (MTTA) has is batting for the introduction of “passenger identity card” to passengers who books the tourist taxi as many of the tourist taxi drivers have fallen prey to criminal elements consisting of carjackers and murderers.
The need for the introduction of such an identification card of the passengers booking the tourist taxis is felt because some of the drivers have lost their life to carjackers and murderers who after killing them stole their vehicle. The latest case in point is that of the Swift tourist taxi driver Samuel Mawlong who body was found in Lumshong in East Jaintia hills district as he had been killed by carjackers who stole the vehicle.
MTTA on Wednesday also decided to re-issue ‘identity cards’ to all drivers under its umbrella keeping their safety in mind.
MTTA general secretary Diganta Nath told a news conference on Wednesday, “We have sought the intervention of the state police for issuing of identity cards to all members of the association which will be duly verified by them to help prevent such crimes against drivers in the coming days.”
Saying that the tourist taxi drivers have become a soft-target for criminals and carjackers Nath said such steps to ensure the drivers safety has become important considering that last year of the three tourists taxi drivers’ bodies of two have been recovered.
Nath felt that non-verification of new and old drivers is one reason that makes the drivers vulnerable to criminals, he said, “Now, no driver will be allowed to ply without the identity card.”
On the need for identification of passengers who books the tourist taxis Nath said, “This is part of the preventive measures considering the need to identify the passenger with full identity proved who is booking the vehicle.”
Nath also felt that non-availability of proper parking stand for the tourist taxis after they were disallowed parking in Police Bazaar has led to lack of communication between the association and its members and this has made it impossible for the MTTA to keep a tap on the movement of its members and the passengers boarding the tourist taxis as the drivers are functioning independently.
The MTTA informed that around 100 – 150 tourist cabs are plying from Guwahati – Shillong every day.
The MTTA has also banned three of its drivers including Prakash Purkayastha, Sanjay Bisva and Guatum Tati who were recently arrested for their involvement in the murder of Samuel Mawlong and lifting vehicles from the region.
“The three are completely banned to ply in Meghalaya as drivers,” Nath informed even as the MTTA condemned the gruesome murder of the three drivers.
Apart from three, Chandra Prakash Sharma alias Mithu who is the ringleader of carjackers gang and Sidhar Thapha were arrested by the police in connection with several car theft and murder cases.- By Our Reporter
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