Kolkata passengers hassled by auto-drivers

In an another instance a man was beaten up after an argument over the fare

In an another instance of errant auto-drivers assaulting passengers in the metropolis, a man was beaten up after an argument over the fare today, police sources said.

The 35-year-old man, Amol Majumdar, who got down at Jadavpur was assaulted by the auto driver after he demanded a higher fare than the usual rate.

Following a police complaint, the auto was traced and the driver was arrested.

On January 26, a 27-year-old woman was assaulted by an auto-rickshaw driver at New Alipore over change for a Rs 50 currency note.

Earlier on January 16, a woman executive was punched in the face and left bleeding by an auto-rickshaw driver at Park Circus.

Auto-rickshaws, which are contract carriages, run illegally as state carriages on fixed routes without meters and charge fares arbitrarily.

Transport Minister Madan Mitra had said that the government would press non-bailable charges to rein in rogue auto-rickshaw drivers and stop them from overcharging passengers.