Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Jan 22: The demand for higher fares by auto drivers especially at night times has been going on for sometime, but it reached a pinnacle when two railway officers were attacked by auto rickshaw drivers when they refused to meet their exorbitant demand, that too in broad daylight.

On Sunday January 21, railway Assistant Divisional Engineer S R Sanghwa and Assistant Divisional Mechanical Engineer Gaurav Singh wanted to hire an auto to go to Lalbagh here. When they enquired the charge from one auto rickshaw driver he quoted Rs 250, mistaking them for tourists.

When the officials argued that the place was not far off and would cost not more than Rs 50, the driver gathered other drivers and attacked the two officials with stones. Though the officials raced to a nearby crew control room, the attackers pursued.

The injured have been admitted to the district Wenlock Hospital.

Following the incident, railway employees have planned to stage a protest if the police failed to arrest the assaulters. They also demanded the reimplementation of prepaid auto rickshaws which might prevent the auto drivers from cheating.