Tourist’s video on ill treatment by taxi drivers at Munnar sparks concern

An Instagram video by a woman tourist from Mumbai detailing the alleged ill treatment meted out to her by a few taxi drivers at Munnar hill station in Kerala has sparked concern about the atmosphere in the popular tourist destination.

In a three-minute video, Janvi, an assistant professor who visited a few destinations in the State, including the hill station, recently alleged that local taxi drivers and the police harassed her during her visit to Munnar on October 30.

In the video, she says she used online cabs during her travels to Kochi and Alappuzha and hired one to reach Munnar. But when she reached the hill station, a group of local taxi drivers allegedly blocked her vehicle, claiming that online taxis are banned in Munnar. When she sought assistance, the police officers sided with the taxi drivers and refused to help her. They directed her to hire a local taxi for her travel in Munnar.

“As I felt unsafe, I will never visit Kerala again. My experience was deeply traumatic,” she said in the video.

The video went viral on social media, and the Munnar police registered a suo motu case regarding the incident. Idukki District Police Chief K.M. Sabu Mathew suspended two police personnel attached to the Munnar police station who failed to provide timely assistance to the tourist. The suspended officials are assistant sub-inspector (SI) Saju Paulose and Grade SI George Kurian. 

Tip-off received

Mr. Mathew told The Hindu that based on a report by the Munnar Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP), department-level action would be taken against the personnel. “The police received a tip-off about the taxi drivers who threatened the woman tourist. Strict action will be taken against those behind the incident,” said Mr. Mathew.

G. Sojan, coordinator of the My Munnar Movement, an initiative to promote tourism in the hill station, said that the tourism stakeholders in the hill station were tirelessly trying to promote tourism in Munnar by creating a positive atmosphere, but the actions of some taxi drivers were marring it. "Strict action should be taken to prevent such incidents. Tourism is the only hope for thousands in Munnar,” said Mr. Soajan.