Russian loses wallet, phone on landing but cops bail him out

A Russian national, who became pauper as soon as he flew into Bengaluru, found a Good Samaritan in the City police who not only listened to him sympathetically but also booked a bus ticket so that he could go to Goa to be with his friends.

Liashenko Vasili, 29, who is a chef by profession, had come to India for the second time. He was staying in Goa before leaving for Bangkok. He arrived in Bengaluru early on Friday and found that someone had stolen his wallet and iPhone.

Recounting his ordeal to Deccan Herald in broken English, he said, “After landing at the airport, I got my visa and passport attested and went to a restaurant. Precisely then I realised someone had whacked off my wallet and iPhone. My mind went blank and I didn’t know what to do.” The wallet contained US $150 and some Thai Baht (currency).

Vasili said he didn’t have a single penny left with him and found it difficult to talk to anyone as he wasn’t fluent in English. “I narrated my plight to some people at the airport who paid for the cab and directed the driver to go to the police commissioner’s office. I was just clueless. I approached the guards at the commissioner’s officer and tried to explain my plight but in vain. They then sent me in and made me sit in a room.”

The Russian said he was moved by the way the police treated him. “They realised that I was tired and had not eaten anything and did not have proper sleep. They offered me breakfast and coffee. After eating, I felt a bit relaxed and fell asleep.”

A senior police officer said: “We checked his passport and visa and everything was in order. He had come down to India on a tourist visa for six months. He is not fluent in English and knows only Russian. We contacted the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and told them about this person. They replied that they can only help if he has lost the visa or passport.”

Policemen struggled to comprehend Vasili’s broken English. “He told us he just wants to get back to Goa where his friends are there. He had come down to India a couple of months ago and was touring the country. A couple of week ago, he left for Cambodia and Thailand. He boarded a flight to Bengaluru so as to go to Goa. Unfortunately, someone stole his wallet and phone,” the officer said.

The police then booked a bus ticket to Goa and dropped him of at the Kempegowda bus stand. “He was grateful and has taken the address saying he will send the money back,” added the officer.

Fake RTO caught
A fake Regional Transport Officer (RTO) has been arrested in Sumanahalli in northern Bengaluru.

The Kamakshipalya police said they arrested Ravikumar, 30, a resident of Laggere, after a motorist complained, saying he had seen the suspect standing at the same spot for at least eight days and demanding bribe from vehicle users.

Ravikumar, who works as a driver, would go to the said spot and demand motorists to show documents, saying he was “Yeshwantpur RTO” and was conducting a special drive. When motorists showed him the documents, he would find faults in them and demand bribe. He also threatened to “confiscate” their vehicles if they didn’t pay up. Many motorists fell into this trap and paid up.

But one motorist became suspicious on seeing Ravikumar at the same spot for at least eight days. He then made a complaint to the police. On Thursday, policemen in plain clothes went to that spot and watched Ravikumar fleecing motorists.

They went to him and demanded what he was doing there. Ravikumar, the police said, replied confidently that he was an RTO.

But he could not produce the identity card. He was taken to the police station where is said to have confessed to impersonating the RTO. He said he was a driver of tempo traveller and pretended to be an RTO so that he could make a fast buck.
Police have arrested him.

Woman assaulted

A 50-year-old woman, who claims to be a Congress worker, 
was assaulted by a group of autorickshaw drivers near MC Layout in Vijayanagar on Thursday night.

The police said the victim, Yashodamma, a resident of Marenahalli, owns a
confectionary shop in MC Layout.

 Around 8 pm, she drove to her shop to unload materials. When parking, her car touched an autorickshaw which had stopped to let passengers off.

The passengers, who were alighting the autorickshaw, asked Yashodamma to be careful.
She then started to abuse them. An argument ensued between the autorickshaw driver and Yashodamma.

The driver warned her not to abuse his passengers, said the police.Five to six autorickshaw drivers soon joined in the medley and assaulted her. Passersby intervened and stopped the fight. Yashodamma then lodged a police complaint.
A case has been registered at the Vijayanagar police station.