BENGALURU: A 32-year-old designer from Mumbai working for a fintech company here was assaulted by a group of six autorickshaw drivers, after he refused to pay more than the actual fare. The victim has been identified as Saron Silvister Wilson Moses, who hails from Mumbai, and has been residing in Marathahalli for the last two years.
The incident happened between 1.30 am and 2 am on Sunday. Moses had booked an auto, driven by 35-year-old HM Dhananjaya, through an app, from Varthur to Marathahalli.
After stopping the auto opposite the Bata showroom on the Outer Ring Road in Marathahalli, Dhananjaya allegedly demanded that he pay Rs 700. Moses agreed only to pay the amount which showed in the app. Frustrated over this, the driver allegedly picked up a fight, and was joined by five other auto drivers. All of them allegedly started assaulting him with a blunt weapon.
After the victim started bleeding from the head, the accused escaped without even taking the actual charge. Moses was treated in Manipal Hospital, where received 17 stitches on his head.
He filed a complaint in the Marathahalli police station, providing details of the auto registration number since it was an app-based booking. Based on the registration details, the police managed to arrest the accused auto driver. The search is on for the others.
Moses told TNIE that he was returning after dropping his colleague. “There were six auto drivers who assaulted me with some iron object. After they fled, I somehow managed to reach home in the night. I could not get any support from some people were watching. I then called my cousin, who took me to hospital. I have got 17 stitches on my head and am still recovering. I have not got any updates from the police,” he added.
Moses first dropped his female colleague at Haralur, before continuing to Marathahalli. “There was an argument between over the auto fare. The auto driver has been arrested. We are gathering information about the other auto drivers,” said an officer.