Auto driver wants Pulwama avenged, offers free ride

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 15

At a time when the entire nation has come together to offer condolences to the families of 42 CRPF personnel, who lost their lives in a fidayeen attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, an auto driver in Chandigarh, who wants India to take revenge for the dastardly act, has offered a free ride to passengers for 30 days once the Indian Government gives a befitting reply to the terrorist attack on the CRPF personnel.

The auto driver, Anil Kumar (28), caught everyone’s attention on roads today, with a banner affixed on his auto offering a free ride.

Anil, who has been driving the auto for the past seven years, hails from Fazilka district in Punjab. “My village is close to the border and my family resides there because of our soldiers, who ensure their safety round the clock,” he said.

Anil said the attack on CRPF personnel had left him shocked. “I am saddened at the deaths of the heroes of our nation,” he said.

Anil, like many others, wants the government to take revenge and he has pledged to ferry passengers for free once the revenge is taken. “For me, this will be a tribute to the soldiers who were killed in the attack,” the auto driver said.

Anil also offers free rides to soldiers in the city. A sticker mentioning a free ride to Army personnel has been pasted on his auto for the past many years.