Two teenagers visiting Bengaluru for the first time were allegedly taken to a remote area, beaten, and extorted for Rs 2,400 by an auto-rickshaw driver and his accomplice. The incident, which started at the SMVT railway station, gained widespread attention after a social media post about the ordeal went viral, prompting a police response.
What was meant to be a simple ride from a railway station reportedly turned into a terrifying ordeal for two teenagers visiting Bengaluru for the first time. After being transported to a remote area, an auto-rickshaw driver and his accomplice allegedly intimidated, beat, and coerced the lads into giving over money, according to an engineer’s testimony that is currently making the rounds on social media.
The story was reported by X user Sanu, who said, “Bangalore auto walas are brutal to innocent people!” He said that the two youths, who were from a village and were thought to be between 16 and 18 years old, had reached the Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) train station with the intention of continuing on to Hosur.
According to Sanu, the teenagers approached an auto driver and asked to be taken to a bus stand where they could board a bus to Hosur. The driver allegedly agreed to the trip for Rs 50 per person.
However, Sanu reported that as the trip began, the situation worsened. Recognising that the youngsters were unfamiliar with the city, the driver allegedly picked up another man on the way. The couple then allegedly took the kids to Electronic City, where they stopped at an isolated area in Attibele and demanded Rs 3,000.
“When the boys said they did not have that much money, the men demanded their mobiles and started beating them,” Sanu added. He further said the boys managed to call him during the incident. According to his post, he could hear the men shouting in the background before the call suddenly got disconnected.
“They snatched the mobile mid-call, disconnected it, and later disconnected multiple times when I tried calling back,” he wrote.
After paying the men Rs 2,400, the teens ultimately had their phones back, according to a subsequent update from Sanu.
He said, “Later, those goons agreed to settle for Rs 2400 but threatened them not to look back or take photos of them or the registration plate.”
Sanu asserted that the accused committed a critical error even if the boys were unable to write down the car’s registration number. The payment was purportedly made via UPI since the youngsters lacked sufficient cash. The allegations sparked widespread outrage on X, especially amid growing concerns over reported incidents involving auto and cab drivers in the city.
A Look At Viral Post
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Responding to the viral post, Bengaluru City Police asked for the auto driver’s contact number. When Sanu said he did not have access to it, the police reportedly reached out to the victims directly.