Menace on wheels

Sir — The present government in West Bengal has given the autorickshaw unions so much power that the police dare not book any auto driver. Because of this, the drivers have become a menace to Calcutta (“Auto rogues whisk away lady, ” July 20). Autorickshaws can park anywhere and violate any traffic rule. No action is taken against them. Autos often ply with more than four passengers while the cops look the other way.

The mishap near Padmapukur in which a young couple were the victims is not an isolated incident. Such mishaps will keep recurring unless the government takes strict action against errant auto drivers. In this case, the drivers who had assaulted the couple were let off on bail. This indicates that the government has failed entirely to rein in the auto drivers, thus giving them full freedom to raise fares or harass passengers.

Yours faithfully,
Sanjay Agarwal, Calcutta

Sir — The auto drivers involved in the Padmapukur mishap are not the only ones at fault. The couple too are to be blamed. When the auto grazed and damaged their car, they should have reported the incident to the police instead of taking matters into their own hands. They should not have tried to stop the vehicle and demand an explanation. Auto drivers are a menace in the city but so are arrogant motorists.

Yours faithfully,
Chameli Pal, Batanagar

Sir — The recent incident of a couple being harassed by a group of auto drivers forces one to wonder whether our society is really civilized. If such an incident can take place in the heart of Calcutta, in broad daylight, how secure are citizens who use public transport on a regular basis? Auto drivers continue to be a problem for this city. Yet, no steps have been taken to tame them. The government turns a blind eye and the police often buckle under pressure from the highly politicized auto unions. This has emboldened them so much that they were able to abduct and molest a woman and assault a man, and yet walk free on bail.

Yours faithfully,
S.K. Mukherjee, Calcutta

Sir — Atrocities committed by anarchic auto drivers are increasing every day. They take five or more passengers at one go, flout every traffic rule and drive dangerously, leading to accidents. The drivers even misbehave with passengers if the latter dare to protest. The police are lenient with the drivers, given their political clout.

In the Padmapukur incident, the prime accused and his associates should have received exemplary punishment. It is unfortunate that the accused was let off on a bail bond of just Rs 600. The common people’s safety is at stake. It is high time the state government took serious steps to curb this increasing nuisance.

Yours faithfully,
Suchandra Roy Chowdhury, Calcutta

Sir — All the autorickshaw unions are reportedly affiliated to the ruling party in West Bengal. So, neither the transport minister nor the chief minister will annoy these unions for fear of losing their vote bank. The auto drivers are also not afraid of the police, who are lenient with them. They are rarely booked for violating traffic rules. They ignore traffic signals and stop wherever they want. They raise fares at will as the government does not decide the fares of three-wheelers. They fleece the passengers and carry more than four people on a regular basis. Yet, no action is taken against them.

An auto driver molests and abducts a lady in broad daylight and no one tries to save her. Instead of strict punishment, the driver gets bail in three hours by paying Rs 600. This has made a mockery of the rule of law. These incidents prove that Calcutta cannot be considered a safe city anymore.

Yours faithfully,
Sanjay Kapoor, Calcutta

Darkness returns

Sir— It is most unfortunate that 12 people were shot dead and over 50 injured in the shootout at the Denver suburb of Aurora while the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises was being screened (“Vampire at Bat night,” July 21). The gunman, later identified as James Holmes, entered the hall and started shooting just when a shooting scene in the film was being screened. The, audience, thinking this was a publicity stunt, was left dazed and confused. The incident should serve as a warning to filmmakers. They should avoid showing disturbing scenes involving shooting, rape and violence. Of late, the Indian film industry, too, has been making low-budget movies with violent scenes and dialogues filled with expletives. The censor board should step in and do away with scenes that may encourage violence.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir — The venue where a masked man opened fire during the late-night premiere of the movie, The Dark Knight Rises, is near the Columbine School. A similar massacre had taken place here in 1999. The incident of a youth firing on unsuspecting people, killing around 12 and injuring 59 others, highlights the need for stricter gun laws in the United States of America. The president, Barack Obama, offered his condolences to the victims’ families.

Yours faithfully,
Benu Kumar Bose, Calcutta