Terror of auto rickshaws in Kolkata – driver assaults passenger

This was yet another instance of an auto rickshaw driver who allegedly punched a passenger at Joramandir, off Baguiati – the driver demanded Rs 5 extra which the middle-aged passenger refused to pay because it was more than the prevalent fare.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 8 September 2015.

The gentleman had boarded the auto in Ultadanga and had got off at the last stop in Joramandir. In the scuffle that followed the altercation, he lost his gold chain. He has lodged a police complaint quoting the registration number of the rickshaw.
The auto rickshaw drivers in Kolkata have earned a bad name because of frequent instances of violence over petty matters like small change and dispute over fares.
In March, there was an assault by a driver on a passenger in Jadavpur – the victim had to be hospitalized. Earlier, in January 2014, a driver had attacked a woman passenger on the head with an iron rod in Park Circus due to a dispute over the fare. And, two months later, a 70-year-old passenger was allegedly abused and assaulted by a driver on the Garia-Tollygunge route over Rs 2.
These instances reveal the failure of the government to tackle the rogue drivers who usually enjoy patronage of political parties.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Mumbai auto rickshaw drivers not returning change, thrash passenger

People who use the auto rickshaws in Mumbai are faced with a problem of not having small change - the auto rickshaws have increased the minimum fare to Rs 18 from Rs 17 and when the passenger tenders either a Rs 20 note or two Rs 10 notes, the drivers do not return the balance of Rs 2 with the excuse that they do not have the change. This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 14 July 2015.

In the latest incident that took place at the Linking Road junction in Santa Cruz over "loose change", the driver thrashed the passenger and threw him out of a moving rickshaw by a group of drivers when he asked his driver for the change. An offence has been registered at Santa Cruz police station.
In order to resolve this problem, some of the unions plan to approach neighborhood temples and collect coins to distribute them among drivers at stands outside stations during morning and evening peak hours.
A more ambitious proposal in keeping with the age of mobile phones has been put forth by a member of Mumbai Autorickshawmen's Union. In his opinion, payment through mobile apps could be a solution to eliminate fights and arguments.
Incidentally, Kolkata already has experiences of such fights between drivers and passengers. In March 2015, an auto driver on the Jadavpur-Santoshpur route punched a passenger following an argument over loose change at the auto stand.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Coin racket in Kolkata – man approaches banks to get Rs 50,000 in coins

A man has been trying to take large number of loose coins from banks – the police have arrested this man of Thakurpukur who tried to withdraw Rs 50,000 in coins. It seems he approached a bank and posed as an officer of RBI saying that he wanted to take stock of all coins in the possession of the bank. When the bank wanted proof of his identity, he changed his version and sad he was a researcher of coins.
His actions have made the police probe deep into his activities because, while the custody of the police, he is evading replies that would satisfy the police. This has led the police to suspect that some organized gang is behind such incidents, gangs that are associated with the smuggling of coins.
It seems loose coins ae at a premium in Kolkata. Five years ago bus operators used to pay premiums of Rs 2 to Rs 3 for every Rs 100. The rate has gone up to Rs 8 to Rs 10 now and, at times, they have to pay Rs 15 for every Rs 100. Shortage of loose change in the form of coins have led to innumerable incidents of refusals leading to quarrels, fights and violence between passengers and drivers of auto rickshaws – neither side wants to part with the loose change.
Incidentally, there have been allegations in the past that coins were being smuggled to Bangladesh where these are melted and converted to razor blades and ornaments.