Fearing a backlash by a gang of hooligans, most autos stayed off the streets, but as evening dawned, several autos opted for business over solidarity

The auto strike in suburbs managed to flow into its third day only by sheer force - quite literally. A gang of ruffians, who were the ringleaders of the illegal strike, had threatened and coerced most rickshawallahs to join their strike and stay off the roads.


Starting to move ahead: On day three of the rickshaw strike, several
drivers opted to stay off the road, but as time passed, several came out
to ferry passengers and earn a living. PIC/MALEEVA REBELLO

And on the third day, the fear of being assaulted by a mob and having their vehicle damaged, was the only compelling factor that kept autos parked on the streets.

Ramvilas Gawda, a rickshaw driver at Malad, said, "The union urged us to get back to work by Wednesday, but rickshaw drivers whose meters have been confiscated forced us to join them. They threatened to resort to violence if we did not abide."

Sanjay Chavan, a rickshaw driver, who also chose not to ferry passengers, added, "A rickshaw driver was beaten up by a mob on Monday and that incident has really frightened me. Life is more important to me than a day's earnings. I have four children and a wife to look after."

Echoing the fear that most rickshaw drivers were experiencing, Thampy Kurian, general secretary of Mumbai rickshawmen union, said, "Rickshaw drivers are afraid that their rickshaws will be damaged by hooligans. The autos that are plying belong to drivers in urgent need of money. They are plying internally in areas that they deem safe. If the police come forward and offer some sort of protection to the drivers, then most definitely all rickshaw drivers will be back on the roads."