Uber driver assaulted near Kovalam; four booked

T'puram: An Uber driver who had dropped a tourist at Kovalam was allegedly assaulted by a group of local taxi drivers on Sunday afternoon, raising fresh concerns over recurring conflicts involving app-based cab operators in the area.Kovalam police registered a case against four identified persons and have initiated an investigation into the incident. Officials said further action will be taken based on the findings.The victim, Federick, 26, a native of Kumbalam in Kollam, has lodged a complaint with Kovalam police stating that he was physically attacked and verbally abused by four persons, all identified as local taxi drivers. According to the complaint, the incident occurred around 3.30pm. Federick had arrived from Ernakulam with a family and had dropped off the passengers at Kovalam. He later stopped near a shop to drink water when a group of drivers approached him. "They asked if I was an Uber driver and told me not to take rides from here," Federick stated in his complaint. The confrontation soon escalated into an argument, during which he was allegedly assaulted by the group. The latest incident comes amid a series of similar complaints from the tourist hub. In 2022, a German tourist was reportedly threatened, and in 2023, a Dutch national was allegedly assaulted by local taxi drivers. "We have been urging to take stricter measures to prevent such attacks, which could adversely impact our reputation and safety perception among visitors," Frederic said.