Daijiworld Media Network – Thiruvananthapuram (AM)

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Feb 24: In incident that took place on February 21, an auto-rickshaw driver repeatedly slapped a migrant labourer for questioning his rash driving. The video showing the assault went viral on Sunday.

The driver, Suresh, was arrested by the Vizhinjam police on Sunday. The migrant labourer, Gowtham Mandal (25) from Jharkhand, had registered a complaint the day he was assaulted.

The incident took place at at Mukkola in Vizhinjam when Gowtham, hwo was about to enter a mobile recharge shop, was hit by a reversing auto-rickshaw. Gowtham, shouted at the Suresh, the driver, who then is said have allegedly assaulted him.

Screengarbds from viral video

In the video which went viral, an angry Suresh is seen pulling out his Aadhaar card from his purse and slapping Gowtham. Suresh, using the choicest of abusive words, then asks Gowtham for his Aadhaar card and license. Before he could take out his identity card, Suresh slaps Gowtham once more. Gowtham looks at Suresh more surprised than angered. In the video, those around are not seen to interfere. When Gowtham shows Suresh his Aadhaar card Suresh snaches it from his hands and walks away.

Then he turns around and tells Gowtham that he would get his card back from the Commissioner's office. “Let me first go to the Commissioner's office and check if there are any cases registered in your name and then you will get your card," Suresh is heard saying in the video.

Soon after the video went, viral and complaint was launched by Gowtham, Suresh went absconding before Vizhinjam police arrested him. A few relatives of Suresh said that he had mental problems. Police have asked for suitable documents to prove the claim. Some source said that Suresh did not have any grave criminal charges against him in the past and only a few minor cases. Suresh is a drug addict and frequently gets into brawls, said locals.