THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Enraged at being asked to pay the fare, a three-member gang on Saturday vandalised anautorickshaw at Kottamam near Parassala here. Two of the accused -- Ajayan,55 and Manu, 32 -- both of them local residents, were nabbed by police.
The third accused in the case, whose identity is not yet known, is on the run. The incident occurred around 1.20 pm when Ajayan and two of his friends hailed Santhosh’s autorickshaw to get some items from a nearby shop. The accused, who were reportedly under the influence of alcohol, and Santhosh knew each other since they stayed in the same locality.
After bringing them back, Santhosh demanded the minimum fare of Rs 30. However, this led to a heated argument, with Ajayan claiming that it was only a short distance trip. As Santhosh insisted on the fare being paid, an incensed Manu and Ajayan took a piece of wood and vandalised the vehicle. Two of the accused were arrested after an onlooker alerted the police.