Crimes by auto drivers on the rise in city

Crimes by auto drivers on the rise in city

The police say passengers should note down the police serial number shown on the display card as soon as they board the autorickshaw

The Hindu

BOARDING AN autorickshaw during the night can be dangerous. For, the incidents of autorickshaw drivers and their accomplices robbing unsuspecting passengers of cash and valuables have been on the rise of late. In the past one year, nearly 25 such cases have been reported from across the city. Apart from Bangaloreans, foreign tourists and NRIs have also been victims of the crime committed by the drivers.

Though such incidents may appear to be stray cases, given the number of autorickshaws that ply on the city roads — there are one lakh autorickshaws in Bangalore — the increase in such crimes has apparently scared the people.

Arguably, the most sensational of such cases was reported from Magadi Road police station limits on Thursday night. An autorickshaw driver and his two accomplices robbed an NRI, Mahalinga Swamy, production manager at an Australian daily, and his father of gold ornaments worth Rs. 2 lakh and $ 200.

On June 20, an autorickshaw driver and his accomplice robbed a Japanese national Yasuki Kuboki of a bag containing $ 600, a digital camera and his passport in Kalasipalya police station limits. A few months ago, in a span of one week, three passengers, including a bank employee and a Congress leader from Dharwad district, were robbed at knifepoint by the drivers and their accomplices on the Mysore Road flyover in separate incidents.

In January, a driver and his accomplice robbed a commuter, Anamika Das, an engineer, of a gold chain, a mobile phone and a purse at knifepoint in Sanjayanagar police station limits. Analysing the crimes committed by the autorickshaw drivers, the police say that the victims in most of the cases were passengers who had shared the autorickshaw with strangers.

The police suggest that the public should not board an autorickshaw, which is already occupied by others. To save money, some times people share the autorickshaws with strangers and this should be avoided, they advise.

To check unlawful activities of autorickshaw drivers, the police have made it mandatory for the drivers to display the details of their driving licence in their vehicles. Though the system has been in place for the past two months, there is no let up in such incidents.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-West) M. Abdullah Saleem says that the passengers should note down the police serial number shown on the display card as soon as they board the autorickshaw. In case of any mischief by the driver, the serial number will help the police in tracing him and initiating action.

"The public should not board an autorickshaw which has no driver display card. Vehicles without the display cards are normally driven by those without a driving licence," he says.