BENGALURU: Despite a drive by the Bengaluru traffic police against errant autorickshaw drivers, the menace continues to haunt commuters. Recently, a software professional was swindled of Rs 1,000 by a rogue autorickshaw driver, who pocketed the money saying the techie gave him only a Rs 100.
The victim, Kanhaiya Agarwal, a resident of BTM Layout, has now filed a complaint in the official Facebook page of the traffic police, demanding action against the errant auto driver.
Mr Agarwal took the autorickshaw from his office in Koramangala 7th Block to BTM Layout on Thursday night. Mr Agarwal told Deccan Chronicle, “The auto driver was riding rashly and told him to go slow, but he didn’t listen. I called the police control room, but there was no response. I reached my house in BTM Layout and asked for the fare. He said it was Rs 140 and I gave him a Rs 500 note. In a flash, he gave back a Rs 100 note, saying it was not good. I thought I had given him a Rs 100 note by mistake and gave him another Rs 500 note. But he again returned the note saying he would not be able to use it and it was bad. I sensed something amiss. When I questioned him, he started making excuses and I noticed his left hand inside his shirt. When I checked, I found that he had hidden the Rs 500 note inside his shirt and was trying to dupe me. I caught him immediately and requested the public to support, but no one came to help. He first tried to flee the spot. But when I caught hold of him, he started crying and begging for mercy.”
Mr Agarwal reported the matter on the official page of the Bengaluru traffic police and demanded action against the auto driver. A police officer said, “Based on the complaint, we have taken up the case and are hunting for the driver.” The BTP had launched a mobile app to help city commuters report any incidents of auto drivers demanding excess fare and refusing to go on hire. But the situation does not seem to have changed, and commuters continue to get duped.
