Taxi driver booked after altercation with security staff of Ahmedabad airport

Ahmedabad: In yet another instance of scuffles between taxi drivers and security staff at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in the city, a security staffer filed a complaint on Tuesday, leading the airport police to book one Azhar Qazi.

Security staffer Jaideepsinh Tomar in the FIR states, “I arrived at my job at Ahmedabad Airport Domestic Terminal-1 around 2:00 PM. Later, around 3:30 PM, two to three taxi drivers were standing at the pre-paid taxi counter to pick up passengers. Only two taxis are allowed here, and even though this prepaid taxi driver, Azhar, was not allowed to stand there, he kept shouting loudly to take passengers. Security guard Manoj Solanki, who was working with me, asked this taxi driver Azhar to leave from line number-1. Azhar became very agitated and started fighting with Manoj Solanki. We intervened to free Manoj, and in the process, I was slapped and thrown to the ground. Fortunately, our security officer Zakir Hussain and supervisor Pragnesh Dantani arrived and saved us from further assault. This prepaid taxi driver Azhar threatened me, saying he would ‘see me.’ We called the police control number 100, and when the police arrived, Azhar had left the scene. We came here to file a complaint against Azhar.”

The police have booked Azhar under sections 115(2) and 351(2) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

Airport management also expressed frustration, stating that they have repeatedly instructed both taxi and autorickshaw drivers to take turns picking up passengers and avoid conflicts with security staff. DeshGujarat