Mumbai: Passenger says intoxicated auto driver tried to run him over

A manrsquos autorickshaw ride turned into a nightmare following an argument with the driver over the fare The 44yearold who has requested anonymity along with his friend had taken an autorickshaw from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the wee hours of February 18 for Mira RoadDuring the ride he realised that the driver was heavily intoxicated after he confronted him over reckless drivingAccording to the man his friend got down at Goregaon but when he reached Mira Road the driver demanded double the fare and upon resistance he verbally abused him and even tried to run him over with his vehicleFollowing the incident the man approached Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar MBVV police and tried to register an FIR but claimed that they have not registered his case even as everything was visible on the CCTV footage recorded outside his housing society in Ramdev ParkWhen contacted Meghna Burade senior inspector Mira Road police station said that the registration number plate of the auto rickshaw is lsquonot visiblersquo in the footage ldquoWe are searching for the auto rickshaw but the number plate is not properly visible Once it is clear we will register the FIR and arrest the accusedrdquo said BuradeRecalling the incident the victim told midday that the enraged driver had tried to knock him off and run over himldquoI was on an official tour to New Delhi and returned to Mumbai during the early morning hours of February 18 One friend was also with me and we both boarded an auto rickshaw from T2rdquo he saidldquoAfter we boarded the autorickshaw driver said he would charge R800 When I asked him to lower the rate he did not listen and kept on murmuring that he would charge R700R800 for a ride to Mira Roadrdquo the man addedldquoAfter a few minutes we realised that the driver was heavily drunk as he had been speeding as well as driving recklesslyrdquo he saidldquoMy friend got down at Goregaon and I was all alone with the driver After I reached my housing society around 3 am I handed him Rs 500 but the driver picked a fight claiming I only gave him Rs 100rdquo he addedldquoAfter the argument I called the MBVV police control room While I was busy on phone calls I saw the driver fleeing the scenerdquo he saidldquoThough I had been waiting for the police officials at the spot I suddenly realised that the driver was swerving towards me at a high speed with an intention to harm merdquo said the man while underscoring the terrifying ordealldquoHe then also pursued me till the entrance of my housing society stayed there for a few minutes and kept on verbally abusing me He left after creating a nuisance for a few minutesrdquo the victim addedThe victim told midday that a police constable came after 1520 minutes at the spot and tried to check the CCTV cameras ldquoBut all the cameras were lying dysfunctional at the spot The constable suggested checking the camera of my housing society and luckily the incident was captured in our societyrsquos cameras The constable suggested that I visit Mira Road police station in the daytime as it was already very late and I too was quite exhaustedrdquo he saidThe victim reached Mira Road police station in the morning to file an FIR ldquoWhile the senior inspector did not directly refuse to register the FIR but she kept on postponing it I have been visiting the police station for the last threefour days but no action has been takenrdquo he saidWhen contacted Zonal Deputy Commissioner Prakash Gaikwad said ldquoI will speak to the senior inspector of Mira Road police station The veracity of allegations of the victim will be verified and due action will be taken against the erring driverrdquoFeb 18Day of the incident