Nagpur: Ganeshpeth inter-district bus stand is increasingly turning into a hunting ground for unsuspecting outstation passengers, with an alleged nexus between autorickshaw drivers and private travel operators exploiting commuters under the pretence of providing transport assistance. From misleading travellers and forcing them to buy overpriced bus tickets to threats, assaults and outright extortion, the growing menace has exposed serious concerns over passenger safety and policing around the busy transport hub.
Passengers arriving at Ganeshpeth bus stand are allegedly targeted by autorickshaw drivers offering convenient rides to railway stations and other destinations. Instead of taking them where they wish to go, the drivers reportedly divert them to private travel offices, where unsuspecting commuters are allegedly cornered and coerced into purchasing tickets at inflated rates. Those refusing to comply are subjected to intimidation, physical assault and extortion, sources claimed.
The racket is believed to be more widespread than the reported cases suggest, as several victims allegedly choose to leave Nagpur without lodging complaints rather than waste precious time or risk further harassment.
The disturbing pattern has once again come under the spotlight following the arrest of four persons for allegedly assaulting and extorting a group of labourers who had arrived in Nagpur during the Diwali holidays.
According to the complaint, a resident of Bhagwanpur in Bihar and his associates, employed at Mukutban in Yavatmal district, reached Ganeshpeth bus stand on the evening of November 6. The group intended to proceed to the railway station to catch trains to their hometowns.
While searching for an autorickshaw, they were approached by a driver who assured them of a ride to the railway station. However, instead of honouring his promise, the driver allegedly took them to a private travel office at Rahul Complex near Jadhav Chowk, where his accomplices were waiting.
Police said the passengers were allegedly surrounded, assaulted and threatened with death before being forced to purchase private bus tickets. The accused allegedly snatched Rs 6,700 in cash and further compelled one of the passengers to transfer Rs 2,800 online, taking the total extortion to Rs 9,500.
The victims eventually managed to alert the police control room through Dial 112. Police personnel rushed to the spot and brought both parties to the police station. Acting on the complaint, Ganeshpeth police registered a case against Amar Ingulwar (38), Sheikh Nural Hasan alias Sheikh Murad Basha (27), Gautam alias Khandaya and an unidentified accomplice under relevant provisions pertaining to robbery, assault, criminal intimidation and wrongful restraint. All four accused have been arrested.
Zonal DCP Rahul Madane said police have initiated stringent action against those involved. He disclosed that a meeting of autorickshaw drivers had recently been convened, during which they were explicitly warned against harassing passengers or indulging in illegal activities.
As part of preventive measures, police have stationed a surveillance van equipped with CCTV cameras near Ganeshpeth bus stand to monitor autorickshaw movement and facilitate prompt intervention in cases of passenger harassment.
Investigators suspect that commission-driven referrals are fuelling the alleged racket, with certain autorickshaw drivers reportedly receiving financial incentives from private travel operators for bringing passengers to their offices. The lure of easy commissions has allegedly turned unsuspecting travellers, particularly those unfamiliar with Nagpur, into targets of organised coercion and profiteering.
Meanwhile, residents have questioned the unchecked chaos surrounding Ganeshpeth bus stand, where autorickshaws allegedly park indiscriminately and violate traffic norms with impunity. Encroachments, congestion and commuter harassment have reportedly become routine, raising uncomfortable questions over the absence of sustained enforcement despite repeated complaints and the long-standing visibility of the problem.
The latest arrests may have exposed one incident, but the larger challenge remains: whether authorities can dismantle the alleged commission-driven passenger exploitation network and restore safety, order and dignity to travellers arriving in Nagpur.
