SHILLONG: The recent alleged abduction and rape of a teenager by a local taxi driver has aggravated the predicament of female commuters travelling in local taxis.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on the matter, SP (Traffic) NK Syiem admitted that at present there was no database that contained details and records of local taxi drivers operating in the city.
It may be mentioned that a local taxi driver allegedly kidnapped his passenger, a 16-year-old minor girl, when she boarded his taxi (ML-05H-0926) from Jingkieng to Police Bazaar, and took her to Shillong Peak and sexually assaulted her. The driver is still absconding.
Reacting to a query, Syiem informed that the police are planning to start some initiatives to chalk out a mechanism where taxi drivers can be identified.
At the moment, there is no mechanism to verify the credentials of the drivers and vehicle owners arbitrarily appoint any one as a driver to operate their local taxis.
The Police official was of the opinion that the documents of the vehicle and the details of the respective driver should be submitted to the District Transport Officer for any future reference.
He said that local cabbies should be issued identity cards to enable easy identification People actually should ask the drivers to bring a No Objection Certificate from their previous employers before appointing them as drivers,” Syiem said, while adding that with this system in place vehicle owners can be assured of the safety of their vehicles.
