AI-generated image used for representational purpose
Around eight to 10 armed men get down, accost the driver, assault him and loot cash, mobile phones, batteries, spare tyres and diesel.
“Truck drivers have effectively been turned into ATMs,” said Bal Malkit Singh of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC). Explaining the modus operandi and plight of drivers, he said, “Gangs arrive in two cars, overtake a truck and block it. MUMBAI: After chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently ordered the formation of a Special Task Force (STF) on the Samruddhi Mahamarg to crack down on organised crime gangs targeting long-haul drivers, freight operators across the state have urged the government to make the STF a permanent fixture. Worse, when victims seek assistance, patrol vans often penalise them with no-parking fines instead of helping, directing stranded drivers to distant police stations to file an FIR.