Reporter’s diary: When good conduct certificate becomes tool for self-promotion

But in a number of incidents, autorickshaw drivers have returned valuables, a huge sum of cash or jewels worth lakhs, which were forgotten by the passengers in their vehicle and have been appreciated by the police officers. However, the city police commissioner AK Viswanathan went a step ahead and started rewarding them and even issued press releases with the autorickshaw drivers’ photos. A group of autorickshaw drivers from Egmore pre-paid auto stand in Vepery, who got a photo-op after returning 35 sovereigns left behind by a passenger, have effectively used the photos to promote themselves as good Samaritans. They have put up banners with the photo so that passengers would know that they are trust-worthy and approach them.