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Hyderabad Auto-Rickshaw Driver Killed After Fare Dispute
By Drooid · · How we work
Fatal Fare Dispute in Vattepally
On a Sunday evening in the Vattepally neighbourhood of Hyderabad, 42-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Mohammed Mukarram was assaulted by a group of men after an argument over change for a short fare. The incident left Mukarram unconscious; he was taken to a local hospital in Shalibanda where he was declared dead. Police have registered a murder case and are investigating the circumstances.
Incident Details
According to statements recorded by Falaknuma police, Mukarram was travelling with his wife Naziya and daughter Salma Begum when a woman hailed the auto to go to the Nice Hotel in Vattepally. The fare was Rs 20. The woman handed the driver a Rs 200 note, and when Mukarram said he did not have change, she threatened to call her son. Mukarram left without collecting the fare. Later, an auto driver identified as Sk Sajid called Mukarram, asking him to return to the hotel to “settle the issue.” Mukarram arrived around 7:30 pm; a group of men, including Azeem (30) and Shoaib (28), was waiting. Three assailants approached, repeatedly punched Mukarram in the face, and continued the assault despite his collapse and apparent seizures. His family members witnessed the attack.
Investigation and Arrests
Falaknuma police have taken Azeem and Shoaib into custody. A third suspect, Imran, remains at large. The case has been filed under Section 103(1)(m) of the Indian Penal Code (murder). A post-mortem report is pending. Police officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that a case has been registered.
Official Responses
AIMIM Bahadurpura MLA Mohammed Mubeen visited the scene, met the victim’s family, and demanded immediate arrests and increased police patrolling in the area.
Criticism and Calls for Action
MLA Mubeen labeled the perpetrators as “rowdy-sheeters” and warned that the incident marks the second murder on the same road within a month. He urged the DCP of Rajendranagar and the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to arrest all accused promptly and to step up security measures in Vattepally.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media accounts differ on the amount of change that sparked the dispute. Some reports describe the argument as over Rs 10 change, while others specify a Rs 20 fare and a Rs 200 note. Additionally, the identity of one assailant (Imran) remains unconfirmed, and the post-mortem findings have not yet been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “She wanted to travel to Nice Hotel in Vattepally for a fare of Rs 20. After getting down at the hotel, she handed over a Rs 200 note. My father told her that he did not have change. She argued with my father and threatened to call her son there. We left in the auto without collecting the fare,” — Salma
- “My father became unconscious. With the help of a relative, Feroz, we shifted him to a local hospital in Shalibanda, where he was declared brought dead,” — Salma
- “Azeem, Shoeb and their associates are rowdy-sheeters and are creating hooliganism in the entire Vattapally area. This is the second murder on the same road in a month,” — Mohammed Mubeen