The Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators Associ ation has called three day state wide truckers strike from 11 September alleging police atrocities upon its members in Birbhum district. General Secretary of Federation of the West Bengal Truck Operators Association General secretary, Sajal Ghosh said that the situation was under control after lodging complaint to minister Firhad Hakim, but once again the situation is getting out of control.
Birbhum Truck and Tipper Operators Welfare Association secretary Anas Ahamed has alleged that police men on duty have been harassing the truck drivers and helpers. Though many trucks are allowed to ply while overloaded after paying bribes, other vehicle drivers are allegedly beaten and money demanded for passing overloaded trucks. The association members have repeatedly complained to the state transport minister, but allegedly there has been no end to the problems. So the association has undertaken a programme named ‘Birbhum Chalo’ besides calling a 72-hours chakka jam of trucks from 11 September.
The proposed three-day truckers strike just a month before the Durga Puja will create a lot of problems in the state, feel observers. The traffic police have allegedly beaten drivers and erased footage and video clips from their cell phones. The increase in fuel price has further added salt to its injuries, the association said. So far there has been no official statement issued from the Birbhum district police or from the district police superintendent on this issue.