COIMBATORE: Coimbatore's Racecourse police have invoked the Goondas Act against two auto-rickshaw drivers at Coimbatore railway station for robbing migrant workers in the guise of offering rides.
According to a police release, City Police Commissioner A Saravana Sundar on Wednesday ordered the detention of the two auto-rickshaw drivers under the Goondas Act based on their criminal history.
Previously, on June 18, Racecourse police arrested three auto-rickshaw drivers—K Mohammed Azharuddin (25) of Pullukkadu, B Nowfal Basha (29) of Thennampalayam, and R Senthilkumar (33) from Selvapuram—for robbing Rs 13,000 from three migrant workers.
The victims, unfamiliar with the local area, had arrived in Coimbatore on June 14 for job opportunities and approached the drivers for transportation outside the Coimbatore railway station. Instead of taking them to their destinations, the drivers drove them around the city and extorted money. They forced Shivkumar from Uttar Pradesh to obtain Rs 4,000 from his family by threatening him. Similarly, they extorted Rs 9,000 from Ali Kadar Sheikh and Kushal Biswas, both from West Bengal, via UPI payments. The drivers were subsequently arrested and remanded in judicial custody on June 18.
The Racecourse police later filed another case against Senthilkumar and Basha for a similar robbery on June 14, in which they robbed money from five other migrant workers who had arrived at Coimbatore railway station. After news of their arrest spread, these victims came forward to complain. Police also urged the public to report any other instances of robbery by the gang.
Meanwhile, Racecourse Police Inspector L Kandaswamy submitted a detailed report against the duo, based on their criminal history, recommending their detention under the Goondas Act. The detention order was served to them at the prison.