Faisal Fareed | Lucknow
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Sep 26: For just Rs 500 as bribe, a truck driver was beaten to death by Road Transport Officials (RTO)  Chandauli district around 300 kms from Lucknow on Monday.

Further, the panicked RTO officials also tried to cover up the case by dumping the body in a nearby river. However, the alarm raised by the cleaner of the truck caught attention of the villagers and other vehicles passing by thus exposing the officials.

However, ARTO, Chandauli, Radhey Shyam denied that employees of his office led by Passengers Goods Officer, Mohd Arif had beaten up the truck driver to death. “The truck driver was a heart patient and he died of cardiac arrest when he was signaled by the team to show papers of the truck and other documents,” he said.

As per reports, Anant Lal Gupta was driving the  truck (UP 65 AT7251), with Ashwini his son as cleaner in the same vehicle on Monday. The truck was carrying medicines from Ghaziabad to Kolkata. At Chandauli on National Highway-2 near Syed Raja locality, the truck was signalled to stop by RTO officials. Ashwini claimed that his father who was driving the vehicle showed all the papers which were in order. Later, on charges of overweight, the truck was taken to a Puja Weighing Machine. Despite everything in order the RTO officials demanded Rs 1000.

The driver was willing to pay Rs 500. Refusal of the driver invited the fury of the RTO officials and they started thrashing him. However, the driver died due to their beating. Sensing trouble the RTO officials threw the driver’s body in the truck and moved towards Syed Raja to dump it in the river Karmanassa. However, as Ashwani raised an alarm, some locals, including women, joined him. Soon several villagers came on the road and chased the truck. Sensing danger, the RTO men abandoned the truck and escaped.

After that locals and other truck drivers blocked the highway. Long quees of trucks upto 8 kms were seen on the highway. The mob turned violent and started stone pelting. Police reached the scene and resorted to lathi charge. Later a FIR, including passenger goods officer of RTO, Mohd Arif was lodged.