Kuthuparamba autos offer free rides for a cause

KANNUR: Autorickshaw drivers from Kuthuparamba have chosen a different way to mark the CITU Foundation Day, which fell on May 30. More than 300 auto drivers from the area offered free service and raised funds from the passengers in an extra box for donations to help the families of three auto drivers who died within a year. The drivers target to collect Rs 3 lakh by Thursday evening so that Rs 1 lakh each could be distributed to the bereaved families. Drivers said the response from passengers was overwhelming.

"For the minimum distance, instead of Rs 20, some donated Rs 100 and Rs 200. The students as well as homemakers donated generously," said K. Shaji, one of the drivers and a member of the CITU district committee. The autos carried the pictures of B.K. Muneef from Mooriyad, N. Anilkumar from Maravoor and K. Manoj from Pazhaya Nirath. Three of them passed away in a span of one year. While Mr Muneef died in an accident, Anilkumar and Manoj died of cardiac arrest. The fundraising campaign was flagged off by Auto Drivers Union district secretary T.P Sreedharan. This is not the first time they are driving for a cause. A month ago, they collected Rs 46,000 from just one route in a day for a cancer patient's treatment.