Navi Mumbai: Autorickshaw drivers’ alleged high-handedness, which has long been a source of complaints among passengers over refusal to ply, arbitrary fares and insistence on fares above the meter, has now taken a serious turn, with an RTO officer himself being assaulted after insisting that an autorickshaw driver charge the prescribed metered fare. The incident has raised concerns over the growing brazenness of autorickshaw drivers, with the latest victim being a government official responsible for enforcing transport regulations.
RTO officer assaulted in Nerul
An assistant motor vehicle inspector attached to the Navi Mumbai Sub-Regional Transport Office (RTO), Tushar Tanaji Kadam (33), was allegedly assaulted by an autorickshaw driver and four of his accomplices near LP Junction in Nerul on Monday morning following a dispute over the fare. Nerul police have arrested all five accused, and a court has remanded them in police custody for two days.
Kadam was travelling by autorickshaw from Nerul towards his home in Ulwe at around 5.45 am on September 7 when the driver allegedly refused to charge the fare as per the meter and demanded Rs 300. Kadam insisted on paying the metered fare and showed his RTO identity card to the driver.
Assault following fare dispute
Instead of complying, the driver allegedly abused and threatened Kadam before calling his associates to the spot. The group allegedly surrounded the RTO officer and assaulted him with kicks and punches. Kadam suffered injuries to his eye and mouth, while his gold chain went missing during the scuffle, according to the police complaint.
The accused allegedly went a step further by threatening to kill Kadam and warning him that an atrocity case would be filed against him. They allegedly forced the officer to hold their feet and apologise. One of the accused also reportedly recorded the incident on a mobile phone and threatened to circulate the video on social media to defame him.
Police arrest five accused
Following Kadam’s complaint, Nerul police traced the accused using the registration number of the autorickshaw. Driver Nitin Kailas Sonawane (27) was arrested on Monday night. His alleged accomplices Shubham Rajendra Narwane (20), Om Rajendra Narwane (24), Amit Praful Sakpal (23) and Samuddin Mulani (23) were subsequently arrested.
Also Watch:
The five accused were produced before a court on Tuesday and remanded in police custody for two days.
“We traced the accused using the registration number of the autorickshaw and arrested all five persons. They have been remanded in police custody for two days,” said Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh Shewale.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
