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Kanpur auto driver ‘harassed’ by traffic cop invited to Republic Day celebration

Jan 26, 2025 07:56 PM IST

In Kanpur, autorickshaw driver Rakesh Kumar Soni, who allegedly faced harassment from a traffic cop, was invited to the Republic Day celebrations.

The Republic Day celebrations in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur witnessed participation by a special guest, an autorickshaw driver who was allegedly harassed by a traffic cop last month.

Artists perform during the 76th Republic Day celebration, in Kanpur on Sunday. (Pintu Verma/ANI)
Artists perform during the 76th Republic Day celebration, in Kanpur on Sunday. (Pintu Verma/ANI)

The driver, identified as Rakesh Kumar Soni, 48, was invited to the event by Kanpur District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap, said a PTI report. This was done after Soni recounted what happened to him in a public hearing three days back.

The incident

Rakesh Kumar Soni is a resident of Hanumant Vihar in the Kanpur district. On December 30th, while going to Baradevi locality, Soni’s autorickshaw got stuck in traffic near Naubasta, according to the report.

While he attempted to manoeuvre his autorickshaw through the traffic, Soni’s vehicle was allegedly hit with a stick by a traffic cop Ishwar Singh. This led to an altercation when the cop allegedly tore the curtain of Soni’s vehicle and abused him verbally.

In a more gory detail, Soni alleged that the accused, Ishwar Singh, also attempted to force a plastic baton into his mouth.

Following this alleged harassment, Soni decided to complain against the cop. However, he claimed that no action was taken against the accused even after he complained about the traffic control room.

Disappointed, he knocked on the door of then-district magistrate Rakesh Kumar Singh. He urged the official to allow him to be euthanized at the Gandhi statue on Republic Day. Following this, a probe was initiated by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Archna Singh which again led to no action before Rakesh Kumar Singh was transferred.

Later, Jitendra Pratap Singh took the district magistrate office. Undeterred by lack of action against the accused, Soni brought the entire incident to Jitendra Singh’s attention, after which, the district magistrate said such treatment of any citizen was unacceptable. He then invited Soni to be a part of the Republic Day function.

A formal invitation was sent to Soni on Saturday.

Jitendra Pratap Singh believed that restoring Soni’s honour and dignity was essential and that is why he invited him to the Republic Day function, he told PTI.

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