[ujjwaana]

I bet the changing "Pro Business Man" Political atmosphere in the region has much to blame about this. The politicians would not let ANY action taken against those Hooligans as these politicians have same people people as their fun raiser and sympathizer.

Army would avoid any conflict as even they have far reaching camps in the region and depend on local people. Else the situation would soon worsen like Kashmir Valley.

Last year, same "Cartel" spewed trash at India Hikes Chaddar Campsite (one of THE Most ethical and reasonable Trekking organizers) and started blaming IH for destroying the enviornment. Their only grudge was that IH was making the arduous and gnarling trek much affordable to average Middle Class, while the local "Agents" who themselves exploit the local porters wanted the prices to remain at "Forien Tourist Levels". They also derailed IH's Stork Kangri Trek. They physically assaulted one of the most amazing Trek Leaders I have met till date when he was on the Stork trek with the trekkers.

If the Politicians dont wake up to the occasion and remain in the "Appeasing" politics, it is not long that even Ladakh would become another Kashmir or NE - a Forbidden paradise, a heaven turned into hell by locals.

[batterylow]

This is sheer hooliganism!

Such protectionism will lead us nowhere!

When will the goons realize that they are killing their own golden goose!

[srishiva]

There were no video of these? Really despicable act. Since it might have taken some time for all this to take place, weren't there any law enforcement in sight anywhere?

I hope they realize there mistake sooner.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by ashnd

I have an unfortunate first-hand experience to share. We have just returned from our Leh Ladakh trip yesterday.
.
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We were discouraged from registering an FIR and did not see any concrete action being taken against the offenders. .

This is very unfortunate. I guess people going to Ladakh on their own vehicles should stop doing this now. After Self-drive rental cars, the next step would be private vehicles.

I want to ask, who discouraged you from filing FIR? The police?
Do you have the incident on video by change. If the video goes viral, it will help.

[dhruvtanwar]

I'm putting my Leh-Ladakh trip in indefinite abeyance. No point going there if you can't drive and pace yourself rather than tick to the clock of your taxi-provider. If I want to be chauffeured around in a taxi, Mumbai does that for me just fine.

I would recommend that you register the FIR via a Registered Post (legal eagle MHPians please advise on due process of registering an FIR without having to personally visit the PS). If nothing else, it should help with your insurance claims and fatten the file for subsequent incidents (I'm sure this sadly will recur, given your the way things panned out in your ordeal).

At this rate, you'll have to buy a local vehicle in every state of India. Appalling state of affairs in terms of law and order.

[joshiviv]

This is really unfortunate and shameful, and it seems like the local administration doesn't really give a damn. If someone had done this kind of behavior with a foreign tourist especially a western one, I am sure their embassies/diplomats would have complained and local administration would have taken action and punished the perpetrators.
It is sad to see that we take our citizen's for granted in their own country.

[zenx]

The state seems to buckle too easily in the face of local pressure when it comes to behaving like one country and enforcing laws :(

Let's send a couple of thousand emails to info@ladakhtaxiunion.com for an apology.

[navdeep]

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[Sheel]

Originally Posted by zenx

Let's send a couple of thousand emails to info@ladakhtaxiunion.com for an apology.

You expect the thugs to reply? And what would be the outcome? You think they will see the light? No way.

Originally Posted by ashnd

I have an unfortunate first-hand experience to share. We have just returned from our Leh Ladakh trip yesterday

Buddy please share video, pictures what ever you have. We should make this viral, STOP going there altogether and make this known, so that other tourist dependent livelihoods [hotels etc] will force them to reconsider.

Why pay extra or any fee when traveling to one's own country?

Make this VIRAL for the benefit of all.

[aravind.anand]

Oh My God ! My imaginations of Leh Ladakh, from from all the pictures I have seen in the travelogues section was of a quiet, serene and lovely tourist destination. But this is something that would really traumatize me if I had been there in one of the cars with my family. Seeing a brand new car being ravaged like that will really hurt me for the rest of my life!

Sorry you had to go through this, and thank you for sharing this as a strong warning for others !

[Dry Ice]

Tweeted it to the a few news channels and a very active 'political' tweeter user. Rather than sending emails to the taxi union, let's email to the hotels.

[SDP]

This is just ridiculous! I still can't believe that the taxi-mafia have crossed the line and are openly violent.

Bye bye Ladakh! You are definitely not going to see me, my car and my money any time soon. Definitely not until the local taxi-operators learn some basic manners and start respecting the rights of other human beings.

[negativeH]

Absolutely unacceptable, this!
What's scarier is these guys are ganging up collectively. Not just one area's taxi, but all of them.. and laying out traps..WOW!

Glad to hear no one was hurt, though.

I was in Spiti early this month, and spotted a lot of Rental vehicles enroute. However, did not hear about any such attack on them.

[amolpol]

A very unfortunate event to happen in the otherwise humble region. The only respite being that nobody was hurt in the attack else it could have been even worse.

Never imagined that greed would overcome humanity even in the Ladakhi community. Having been there multiple times over the past decade, I can only say that the increasing tourism in the area is fueling these ideas of unionism and vandalism. Little do they know that they're actually killing the chicken that laid the golden eggs. For a region that earns mostly from tourism and that too only in the few months that it becomes accessible, such acts of violence will only drive away the potential tourists.

The administration needs to take immediate and aggressive steps against the involved members to curb such incidents in the future. The taxi union turned mafia also needs a rap on their knuckles!

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by amolpol

The taxi union turned mafia also needs a rap on their knuckles!

Rap?
I think they've collectively and short sightedly ensured a skinning.
Head to ladakh in a few months to pick up ex-taxis for a pittance.