Auto rickshaw driver thrashed in Bhubaneswar for demanding compensation for ride cancellation

An auto rickshaw driver was allegedly thrashed by a group of people after he demanded compensation from a girl, who cancelled the ride at a prominent street near an educational institution under the Infocity Police limits in Bhubaneswar.

As per initial reports, the girl had booked the auto-rickshaw online and she then canceled the booking after the vehicle allegedly failed to reach the designated pick-up spot on time. On seeing that the concerned lady passenger stepped into another vehicle, the auto-rickshaw driver, identified as Nilamani Behera, approached her and sought some monetary compensation for the cancellation of the ride.

Irate over this, the lady passenger then called up her father and some friends who then reached the spot and allegedly thrashed the driver and made Behera kneel down on the street. The online auto rickshaw association has lodged a complaint in connection with the incident at the Infocity Police Station.

The association has threatened to call for a Bhubaneswar bandh if no action is taken against the guilty. Though no comments could be obtained from the lady passenger, police informed that a case has been registered against three persons in connection with the incident.

“Due to a traffic jam, I reached the spot late. When the passenger saw the vehicle, she cancelled the ride. When she was about to board another vehicle, I approached her and sought some expenses for the loss. Some people then reached the spot and beat me up,” said the auto driver.

Anil Kumar Patra, a member of the Smart City Online Auto Association said, “The incident occurred some 500 meters away from the police station and the ACP office is also close by. It is unfortunate that the incident continued for over an hour but nobody took action.”