TV
In a dramatic show of protest, agitating drivers detained fuel tankers and refused to release them at the Saintala locality near Titilagarh town in Bolangir district of Odisha, on Thursday.
Also Read: Police escort fuel tankers amid commercial drivers’ protest in Odisha
According to sources, hundreds of drivers under the banner of a local union staged a protest at Lachut Chhak near Titilagarh and close to Saintala in Bolangir, detaining four fuel tankers which were on their way to elsewhere in the State. The supply chain was disrupted.
The agitation, aimed at addressing the unresolved grievances related to work conditions and transport issues, has drawn the attention of local and district administrations.
Police forces from Saintala and Deogaon, along with Bolangir Sadar SDPO, reached the spot shortly after the protest began. Their primary focus has been negotiating with the drivers on demonstration to allow the tankers to proceed and restore normal fuel transport.
Despite appeals from police, the drivers remained adamant, demanding official assurances before releasing the tankers. The protest has raised concerns about potential fuel shortages if the situation persists. Talks between the administration and drivers are going on.
The fuel tankers were not released by the drivers till the time when this report was filed.
No comments were received from local police or the protesting drivers in this regard.
As the indefinite ‘quit steering’ protest by commercial drivers enters its third day, the fuel crisis in Odisha has deepened, prompting police to step in and restore normalcy.
In a significant development, fuel tankers are now being escorted by police in several parts of Odisha to ensure the smooth supply of petrol and diesel to other parts of the State.
Visuals have emerged from the Soro locality in Balasore district, showing a police team escorting fuel tankers on NH-16 near Chaparpada to keep the supply chain continuing.
Reported By: Abinash Nanda
