Punjab News: Man driving ₹10-lakh car drags mango vendor over ₹400; social media links it to ‘increasing tax’

In a disturbing incident that has sparked widespread condemnation, a fruit vendor was dragged for nearly 200 metres by a car driver who fled without paying for mangoes worth ₹400. The shocking event unfolded on the service road along the Ambala-Chandigarh highway, close to Singh Empire, Times of India reported. 

The victim, Sukhbir Singh, a resident of Amardeep Colony in Derabassi, has approached the police with a formal complaint. Recounting the ordeal, Sukhbir said he was selling fruits from his cart when a red Brezza pulled over. The man behind the wheel asked about the mangoes, got three kg weighed, and placed them inside his vehicle. A brief bargaining session followed, during which Sukhbir agreed to reduce the price from ₹480 to ₹400. However, instead of paying, the driver suddenly hit the accelerator in an attempt to escape.

In a bid to stop him, Sukhbir grabbed onto the driver’s window. He was dragged for nearly 200 metres before falling near the bus stand as the car sped off toward Ambala. He suffered a leg injury during the ordeal. 

“The man is driving a car worth over ₹10 lakh and still tried to cheat me for just ₹400,” Sukhbir was quoted as saying by TOI. He managed to note the car’s registration number and submitted the details to the police. 

The story of Sukhbir has gone viral, with people expressing sympathy and demanding strict action against the car owner.

Here's how social media users reacted
 

A user wrote: "I’m saying it again — we are one of the most uncivilized countries in the world. People don’t have basic manners or etiquette. You can see such kinds of people in Fortuners and BMWs as well. In India, money doesn’t mean someone has civil sense too [sic]."

Another said: "Was he talking on the phone or watching reels while doing this transaction? If so, anything is possible! If his intentions were to steal, why did he bargain? Anyway, shameful if intentional [sic]."

A third user said: "Not a good sign. With increasing taxes and unemployment, we might see more of this. Near my home, even the roadside panwadi shop was robbed at night [sic]."