Constable who terrorised auto-rickshaw drivers suspended

A police constable who extorted money from auto-rickshaw drivers and never paid salary to the driver of his own auto-rickshaw has been suspended, police said on Thursday.

Constable Krishna Prakash was suspended after a police inquiry revealed that he was "a terror to auto drivers", an officer said.

Prakash was found operating an auto-rickshaw on a highway where he was posted. He was also held guilty of extorting money from other auto-rickshaw drivers.

At some point, he bought an auto-rickshaw and employed a driver about five years ago -- but never paid him any salary.

In the evenings, he would collect all the day's earnings and warn the driver that he would be booked in a criminal case if he demanded a salary.

"Because of the threat, I obeyed him, worked day and night without any pay," the frightened driver, Neeraj Rathi, told police.

On July 13, the driver returned from his village but refused to work for the constable any more.

Prakash "thrashed me, barged into my home, thrashed all the family members and took away my mobile phone", the driver told police.

"During the last five years, he looted over Rs.2 lakh from me," the driver said.

He finally gathered courage to relate his tale of woe to police, who suspended the constable.