Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Nov 22: An incident in which a passenger of an auto rickshaw and her child were hurt after the driver suddenly applied brake to avoid hitting a woman who suddenly crossed the path of the vehicle has snowballed into a major showdown. The wife of the passenger who allegedly hit the driver in a fit of rage has filed a complaint against the driver, of trying to violate her modesty, after the driver filed a police complaint against her husband for assault. In protest against the complaint filed against their colleague and alleging that the counter complaint was fabricated, auto rickshaw drivers held protest in Katapadi on Friday November 21 afternoon.
Illyas Ibrahim, his wife, Fatimat Zohara, and the couple's child, who happen to be residents of Mallaru near Katapadi, had travelled on Thursday evening to Sarakari Gudde in an auto rickshaw driven by Dinesh from Katapady. When the driver suddenly applied brake to save a woman who unexpectedly came across his vehicle, Fatimat and her child were injured. A motor bike following this three wheeler also hit the auto rickshaw as a result. When the driver was speaking to the bike rider, Illyas and his friend, Altaf, who was at the spot, reportedly roughed up Dinesh, holding him responsible for causing injuries to the two.
Dinesh then got admitted into the district hospital and complained to Kaup police about the assault. The police, after registering the case, had taken into custody both Illyas and Altaf for questioning.
Relating to the incident, Fatimat Zohara filed a complaint in Kaup station, saying that Dinesh was responsible for causing injuries to her and her child. She said that when her husband was talking to Dinesh relating to this incident, the latter pulled her and her child out of the vehicle by pulling at her hand, and tried to outrage her modesty. The police registered a case of attempt to outrage woman's modesty against the driver.
Auto rickshaw drivers from Katapadi, angered by this turn of events, stopped operation of auto rickshaws on Friday afternoon at Katapadi as a measure of protest against filing police complaint against the said auto rickshaw driver, although he was not at fault. The drivers, who gathered in front of Katapadi police outpost, warned of organizing stronger protest if the said false complaint is not withdrawn. Some local leaders, leaders of the drivers, and police held a meeting. The auto rickshaw drivers said they had withdrawn the stir based on an assurance given by the police, and said they would resume stronger methods of protest if the false complaint is pursued.