Auto rickshaw driver in Udupi assaulted by member of another union after fight over fare hike
Udupi: An auto rickshaw driver sustained serious injuries as other drivers assaulted him following a fight during a meeting of an auto rickshaw drivers’ union regarding hike in fare in Udupi town.
The injured driver, Prasad, who was attacked at the parking slot near the Big Bazaar outlet, is being treated at the Ajjarakadu Government Hospital and is learned to be out of danger.
Members of the union, who have alleged that one Raghu and his associates, belonging to another auto rickshaw drivers’ union, had attacked Prasad, gathered outside the government hospital and demanded justice for the injured driver.
The protesters have said that the local police have been alerted regarding the incident.
They said that they are prevented from running their vehicles inside Udupi town, which has five auto rickshaw drivers’ unions. Although the union members function by themselves, the drivers are being oppressed they said, adding that earlier too there were cases of attack on the drivers. They pointed out that they were under attack in spite of being permitted by the Police Department and the City Municipality to run auto rickshaws.
Stressing on their demand for justice, the drivers expressed disappointment in the local legislators and other elected leaders, stating that the representatives had not helped them in spite of being informed of the drivers’ problems.
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Tomato prices in Karnataka may hit Rs 85/kg if rains persist in North India, warn traders
Kolar: Tomato prices in Karnataka are likely to surge, with retail rates potentially touching Rs 85 per kg if heavy rains continue to batter Maharashtra and other northern states over the coming days, posing a fresh burden on households that rely on the staple ingredient.
On Sunday, a 15-kg crate of tomatoes at the Kolar APMC market, which is the second-biggest market in Asia, was sold for Rs 750, a sharp increase from Rs 250–Rs 350 just three days ago, The New Indian Express reported.
Traders have warned that if weather conditions do not improve by next week, retail prices of tomatoes would touch Rs 85 per kg in Karnataka.
Kiran, secretary of the APMC market, said that continuous rainfall in Maharashtra, a major tomato-producing state, has disrupted supply to states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu.
CMR Srinath, a tomato farmer and merchant at the APMC market, also added that heavy rain has affected the tomato crop in large areas of Maharashtra. “If showers continue in the neighbouring state for another week, the prices at the Kolar APMC market would touch Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per crate,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
This disruption has significantly increased the demand for tomatoes from Karnataka, especially from the Kolar region.
“Over 200 vehicles carrying over 2,500 tonnes of the fruit left from the APMC market on Sunday to different destinations,” TNIE quoted Kiran as saying.
Despite the high demand, local supply remains limited, as many farmers in Kolar had reportedly avoided cultivating tomatoes due to poor prices over the last four months.
