Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 30: Auto rickshaw drivers may often draw flak from the general public for a number of reasons, but in an extraordinary instance of honesty, an auto driver on Saturday May 30 returned a bag containing gold ornaments and other items worth Rs 10 lac to its rightful owner who had inadvertantly left it in his vehicle.

Giridhar, an auto driver residing at Pandeshwar, has become the cynosure of all eyes because of his good deed.

A lady passenger who was in the city for her daughter's marriage on Saturday hired Giridhar's auto from Balmatta to go to the railway station after the wedding ceremony. While alighting at the railway station, the passenger accidentally left behind her bag containing gold ornaments, some cash and two mobile phones, altogether worth Rs 10 lac, in the auto rickshaw.

Giridhar, who noticed the bag only later, lost no time in approaching the Pandeshwar police, who managed to trace the rightful owner of the bag.

Farooq, who came with the lady passenger to the police station to receive the bag, was all praise for Giridhar and said that such honesty is rare to find these days. The Pandeshwar police too showered praise on Giridhar.

Giridhar has been an auto driver for 30 years now, and all through, he has been known for his honesty. On earlier occasions too, he has returned items left behind in his auto by passengers.

May his tribe increase.