Mangalore, Dec 31, 2013: A verbal altercation that ensued between state Minister for Youth Services and Sports Abhayachandra Jain and the protesting autorickshaw drivers at Mulki on December 30, Monday, turned chaotic when the minister reportedly tried to manhandle a protesting autorickshaw driver.
The drivers were staging a protest urging for the repair of the Charanthipete Road which links Mulki and Karnad.
It is learnt, the protestors gheraoed the minister near the Mulki Billawa Sangha enraged by the minister’s apathy towards the protest. There also followed a heated exchange of words between the Congressmen and the protestors and at this juncture the minister reportedly tried to hold the collar of a driver. Later the situation was somehow brought to control.
Bipin Prasad, President of the Mulki Rickshaw Drivers and Owners Union has strongly condemned the incident. It may be mentioned here that the Charanthipete Road which provides connectivity to Kateel Temple as well as Kinnigoli and Moodbidri has remained in a pathetic state since long.