Transport strike: 18 arrested in Noida for forcibly stopping vehicles

Eighteen people were arrested here on Thursday for allegedly forcibly stopping vehicles and taking away their keys during a strike called by private transporters in Delhi-NCR, the Noida administration said.

Six men each were held in Sector 49 and Sector 24 police station areas, while three each were arrested from Phase 2 and Phase 3 police station areas, an official said.

"These people had forcible stopped vehicles plying in the city and taken away the keys. All this was done to force them to join the transporters' strike called today in Delhi NCR," City Magistrate, Noida, Shailendra Mishra said.

All accused were held under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 151 and have been sent behind bars, as further proceedings are underway, Mishra added.

Several private buses, taxis and auto rickshaws in the national capital region remained off the roads on Thursday due to a strike called by the United Front of Transport Associations (UFTA) to protest the amended Motor Vehicles Act, which has hiked penalty for different violations manifold.