A sudden flash strike by auto-rickshaw drivers brought Dombivli East in Maharashtra to a grinding halt on Saturday evening.

Between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm, major roads including Indira Gandhi Chowk, Bajiprabhu Chowk, Kelkar Road, and the Ramnagar ticket window were completely blocked as hundreds of rickshaws were deliberately parked to protest against action by the traffic police on overloading.

The protest was reportedly triggered after the Dombivli Traffic Department began issuing fines for carrying more than the legally permitted three passengers. In response, the Lal Bawta Rickshaw Union instructed drivers to stop operations, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded during peak hours.