- An alleged assault occurred between taxi drivers and Army personnel in Lachung, Sikkim
- Taxi drivers claim they were assaulted after a child’s medical emergency led to a request for passage
- Army said drivers caused a traffic jam and refused to move for an essential convoy
An alleged assault involving local taxi drivers and Indian Army personnel in Sikkim's Lachung area has triggered controversy, with the drivers' fraternity and the Army presenting sharply differing accounts of the incident.
According to a statement issued by the All Sikkim Voice of Chauffeurs association, the incident took place in the Lachung Zero Point area. The drivers' body stated that a child travelling with a tourist in one of the vehicles had suddenly fallen ill, following which the concerned driver allegedly requested an Army vehicle ahead and other drivers to allow passage due to the medical emergency.
The association claimed that while returning from Zero Point, four drivers were allegedly assaulted near a barricade close to the Shiv Mandir area. Videos purportedly showing the incident have since surfaced on social media, including one clip that appears to show a driver being beaten by multiple uniformed personnel.
The organisation said the complete facts surrounding the incident were still being ascertained and that further details would be shared after speaking with the drivers involved.
Expressing concern over what it described as increasing incidents of mistreatment of drivers, the association stated that any wrongdoing should be addressed through legal procedures rather than violence.
"Drivers are human too. Let us treat them with respect," the statement said.
However, the Indian Army strongly contested the narrative and issued its own version of events.
According to an Army statement, Zero Point witnessed heavy tourist traffic on June 9, with approximately 350 to 450 vehicles present in the area. The Army said an essential convoy carrying operational requirements was moving towards the sector when it got stuck in a traffic jam allegedly caused by improper parking by some taxi drivers.
The statement said Army personnel politely requested the driver of a wrongly parked taxi to move aside and make way for the convoy. However, the driver allegedly refused and was joined by a few other drivers who "started physically pushing and grabbing the collar of Army personnel."
The Army stated that convoy officials managed to defuse the situation and continue their movement without further escalation.
The statement further noted that the Zero Point tourist destination itself was developed under the Army's Operation Sadbhavana initiative, including shops, public seating areas, and the iconic "I Love Zero Point" signage.
"The Army is with the people of Sikkim, but some troublesome drivers are giving a bad name to both the Army and Sikkim," the statement said.
According to the Army, officials later, along with police personnel, stopped the drivers allegedly involved in the confrontation near Shiv Mandir in order to record their identities and file a formal complaint.
The Army alleged that one of the drivers, who was "likely to be drunk," again misbehaved and abused at troops, leading to a scuffle.
The allegation regarding intoxication has not been independently verified.
The Army confirmed that it is filing an official complaint with the local police regarding the incident.
The incident has drawn reactions from political and social organizations as well.
The Driver Welfare Council of the Citizen Action Party (CAP)-Sikkim condemned the alleged assault and called for a fair and transparent inquiry while seeking accountability if wrongdoing is established.
The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) State Level Chalak Wing and the Sarathi Welfare Board also condemned the incident and urged civil authorities and Army officials to conduct an impartial investigation.
