Tourists from Delhi harassed by driver in Himachal's Kangra, FIR lodged

The accused allegedly misbehaved with some women in the group, manhandled a person in the group, and demanded Rs 4,000. However, the tourists overpowered the driver and got out of the car.

Shimla: A Delhi resident has lodged a zero FIR alleging that a cab driver harassed and tried to rob him and his friend along with their families in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, according to the police complaint.

The accused also allegedly misbehaved with the women of the two families, it added.

In his complaint to the police on September 20, Mohammad Raahim Rafi, said he and his friend along with their families had come to Himachal Pradesh for a four-day visit and their trip was planned by a travel agency.

The bookings were made for Rs 36,600 and 50 per cent of the payment was made in advance while the rest had to be deposited after checking in into the hotel, the complaint letter said.

Both Rafi and his friend are journalists and working in leading media organisations in Delhi.

"The driver who picked us up from Delhi demanded Rs 10,000 to fill petrol at a pump, about an hour before reaching Dharamshala, and when we refused saying the required payment was already done, he removed our luggage from the vehicle," the complainant said.

Upon complaining to the travel agency, the driver was changed and their journey was resumed, he added in the complaint.

However, when the group was returning from Chamba on September 17 night, the driver who had brought them from Delhi allegedly stopped their vehicle near Gaggal airport in Kangra, shut all doors using central locking and took them into a nearby forest area, the complaint letter said.

The accused then allegedly misbehaved with some women in the group, manhandled Rafi and demanded Rs 4,000. However, the tourists overpowered the driver and got out of the car. They booked another cab and resumed their journey.

The complainant said that when the travel agency was apprised of the incident, they took no action.

When contacted regarding the incident, Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri told PTI on Sunday that the incident would be looked into and appropriate legal action would be taken.