A 27-year-old auto-rickshaw driver has been arrested for murdering an Odisha man following a dispute over fare, police said. The victim’s younger brother was present at the time and was also attacked by the driver, according to police.
Subramanya Nagar police gave the suspect’s name as S R Ashwath, a native of G Somanahalli village in Hassan’s Holenarasipura taluk. He lives in Hegganahalli, Northwest Bengaluru.
Brothers Awod and Ayob came to Bengaluru recently and stayed with a relative in Chandapura. They were to take a train to Odisha from Yeshwantpur on Sunday night.
They took a bus to Majestic from Chandapura and decided to travel to Yeshwantpur by auto. They hailed Ashwath’s auto (KA 01/AL 6094). The fare was fixed at Rs 100 with both parties’ consent.
But midway through the journey, Ashwath stopped the auto on Dr Rajkumar Road in Rajajinagar and said the fare would be Rs 1,500 per head and Rs 3,000 in total.
Awod said he would pay no more than Rs 100 as agreed earlier. As tempers ran high, Ashwath punched Awod in the abdomen and chest, besides hitting him in the face.
He also attacked Ayob when he rushed to his brother’s rescue. Pushed into a corner, the brothers started to run, but Awod collapsed on the road.
Policemen patrolling the streets on a Hoysala car rushed him to KC General Hospital in Malleswaram where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Police tracked down Ashwath on Monday.