Mangalore: Honesty at its Best - Auto Driver Returns Bag Containing Rs 8 Lac
Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Oct 30: Mangalore may often be in the news for the wrong reasons. Everytime there is any negative news in Mangalore, it gets huge publicity and immense response from all corners.
But there are people who make a difference through their actions and make the city a beautiful place. And their news deserves as much, if not more, public attention, for, by their gestures they prove that humanity is still a virtue in a city marred by incidents of violence.
Shekar Devadiga, an auto driver by profession, could have made his life out of the Rs 8 lac in the bag he found on the passenger seat of his auto rickshaw. Instead, he went straight to the traffic police at Jyothi and surrendered the bag.
The incident was reported here on Tuesday October 30. Shekar was on his usual rounds, beginning the day from Kadri Temple as per routine. By the time he found the bag, he had already ferried passengers twice since morning.
The second round of passengers, two women and a child, had hired his auto (KA 19 A 7738) from Hampankatta to Kaprigudda where they stay. They paid the fare and alighted, and Shekar went on his way.
However, a few minutes later he realised that a bag had been left behind by one of his passengers in the backseat of his auto rickshaw. Without a second thought and without wasting any time, he approached the Jyothi traffic police and handed over the bag and its contents, which included two mobile phones.
Meanwhile, the police control room had recieved a message that a bag containing Rs 8 lac in cash had gone missing. Suspecting that it may be the same bag, the traffic police directed Shekar to Pandeshwar police, where the person who had complained about the missing bag was also called.
The bag belonged to Shahid Sheikh from Kolkata. He had come to visit Shameer of Kaprigudda two days back with his family to purchase a flat in the city. On the day of the incident, Shameer's wife and Shahid's wife along with a child had hired Shekar's auto, carrying the cash meant for the purchase of the property. On finding the bag, the relieved family promised to help and reward Shekar.
Shekar is married to Kamalakshi, and the couple has two children - daughter Reshma, who is pursuing engineering, and Karthik, who is in second year BCom.
On the request of several readers, Shekar Devdiga's address and contact number are given below. Shekar does not have a mobile number, and the one given here belongs to his brother Vasanth.
Address:
Shekar Devadiga
Gurithota House
Behind Kadri Temple
Kankanady Post
Mangalore
Contact: 9844223280