Two taxi drivers arrested in Munnar after Mumbai native's vlog goes viral

MUNNAR: The police arrested two taxi drivers who threatened a Mumbai native who had come to visit Kerala. The Munnar police arrested Vinayakan and Vijayakumar, both natives of Munnar.

Jhanvi, an assistant professor from Mumbai, arrived in Munnar on October 30. She was threatened by local taxi drivers in Munnar after she chose an online taxi service over them. A video shared by Jhanvi herself on October 31 about the incident went viral. The police then registered a suo motu case. Sections like forced detention and threats were charged against the taxi drivers.

Jhanvi and her friends visited Kochi and Alappuzha in a taxi booked online. Later, when they reached Munnar in the same vehicle, the taxi drivers stopped saying that online taxis were not allowed to enter the hill station. Despite raising the alarm, the police officials too sided with the local taxi drivers, making things worse for the vacationers from Mumbai.

Jhanvi, in her viral vlog, mentioned that she and her friends were made to travel in another taxi, and they wholly abandoned the trip midway.

"The beauty and hospitality of Kerala are commendable. I loved Kerala very much. But I can no longer visit a place where I do not feel safe,' the woman said in the video. Two policemen were suspended after the video went viral. Action was taken against ASI Saju Paulose and Grade SI George Kurian.