Register to track auto drivers at night

KOCHI: Alarmed by criminals who pose as auto drivers at night, the city police have made it mandatory for autorickshaw drivers working at night to sign a register at respective police stations.
Recently, the Thoppumpady police arrested a man involved in theft cases, who revealed that he committed crimes while plying an autorickshaw during interrogation.
In another incident that showed rising criminality among auto drivers, a group of autorickshaw drivers attacked a restaurant near Ernakulam north railway station last week and damaged property claiming they were served stale food. According to police, the restaurant was attacked because the owner allegedly refused to pay money demanded by trade union leaders.
"In order to keep a record of autorickshaws operating at night, a register will be maintained at police stations and police aid posts in the city. It will be done in association with the traffic police," said K S Suneesh Babu, assistant commissioner, Ernakulam. He added that genuine drivers would not have any issues in signing in the register.
To ensure strict compliance, police teams patrolling at night will be given the list of drivers who have signed the register. They will be entrusted with the task of verifying the list.
Police admit that maintaining a register is not new in at police stations. "Till now, it was not mandatory. There was no compulsion for autorickshaw drivers to sign at night. In many police stations, the practice ceased to exist following opposition from trade unions of drivers," said a police official.
However, autorickshaw drivers' unions expressed their reservations over the move. "It will cause difficulties for autorickshaw drivers if they are compulsorily made to sign the register maintained at police stations," said K R Saju, Autorickshaw Drivers' Federation, INTUC.