Rivalry between tourist taxi, coach operators flares up at Cavelossim
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MARCH 5
Rivalry between the tourist taxi operators and coach operators flared up at Cavelossim on Friday morning – this time over an accident.
While the owner of a tourist coach Afonso Cota claimed that the taxi driver pulled out his gun from his person and threatened him, the taxi driver, however, maintained that it was Cota who pulled out his gun to intimidate them.
The Colva police has arrested five tourist taxi drivers for forming unlawful assembly and assaulting the complainant, even as Cota stands admitted at the Hospicio hospital.
DySP Umesh Gaonkar informed that the incident occurred on Friday morning over an accident between the tourist coach and a tourist taxi at Cavelossim. He said verbal duel ensued between the taxi drivers and the coach driver after which the later called the owner Afonso Cota at the spot.
DySP Gaonkar said there is a row over who pulled out the gun from Cota’s person. “While Cota has claimed that the taxi driver has removed from his person, the taxi driver has counter complained that it was Cota who pulled his gun and threatened them”, the DySP said, adding that the matter is under investigations.
Replying to a question, he said the police has attached the licensed gun belonging to Cota for investigations.
This evening, the Colva police arrested five tourist taxi drivers for forming unlawful assembly and assaulting Cota.
The action by the Colva police drew sharp reaction from FATTOD president Jorge Fernandes, who has demanded to know why only the taxi drivers have been arrested in the case when there is a counter complaint from the tourist taxi people.
He also demanded to know whether coach operations can freely move around the coastal belt with guns, whether licensed or not, while demanding action against Cota for allegedly threatening the taxi drivers with a gun.
DySP Gaonkar told Herald this evening that he has told the Colva police to accept the complaints from both the parties and initiate action as per law.