SP cautions autorickshaw drivers to behave properly with passengers in Tirupati

Superintendent of Police (SP) V. Harshavardhan Raju delivered a bittersweet message — ‘Pay heed or pay the price’ — to the autorickshaw drivers of Tirupati, on Wednesday.

It may be recalled that the Tirupati traffic police had recently launched a mobile application, where passengers boarding an autorickshaw could scan a QR code and gather details of the driver. The application also allows the passengers to lodge complaint against a driver if they face any kind of trouble or misbehaviour from the latter’s side. The police command control centre, which would then receive the complaint, will initiate suitable action on the driver.

Despite strengthening the measures for the safety of the passengers and to maintain law and order, an unsavoury incident rocked Tirupati recently. A passenger, that too a Tirumala-bound pilgrim, was thrashed by a group of auto rickshaw drivers over a petty issue. Though it later turned out to be a case of the passenger verbally abusing the driver, the latter had to face penal action for landing physical blows on the victim.

SP’s message

Mr. Raju, who formally inaugurated a police outpost at Annamayya Circle Junction in Tirupati on Wednesday, distributed sweets to the autorickshaw drivers, and at the same time, minced no words in cautioning them.

Without referring to the assault, Mr. Raju called upon the autorickshaw drivers to behave properly with the passengers. He also appealed to the autorickshaw unions not to blindly support or side with an erring driver, rather use their sense of judgment to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Additional Superintendents of Police J. Venkat Rao (Admin) and K. Ravi Manoharachari (Law and Order), Deputy Superintendents V. Bhaktavatsalam, Ravi Kumar, Ramakrishna Chary and Bhaskar Naik also took part.