Kodagu Police Book Jeep Driver for Overcharging Tourists from Madikeri to Mandalpatti
January 28, 2026
Kodagu police acted after a tourist’s viral video showed a jeep driver overcharging for a ride from Madikeri to Mandalpatti. Ankita and her family from Bengaluru arrived in Madikeri on January 25 and hired a jeep near the KSRTC bus stand. The driver demanded ₹4,000, ignoring the official fare of ₹2,500 fixed by the Deputy Commissioner and displayed on boards. Despite protests, the family boarded the jeep. At the Forest Department checkpost, the driver took ₹500 from the family but handed only ₹50 to staff. On return, he scolded the tourists for a slight delay and asked for an extra ₹500. The family also complained about his rash driving. Ankita posted a video with the vehicle number and driver’s name, urging authorities to act. The video went viral on January 26. Police led by Inspector Chandrashekar H.V. and Sub-Inspector Sridhar investigated and found the driver Shavin Kumar had illegally used a yellow board on a private white-board vehicle for hire. They seized the vehicle and driver. The driver collected ₹4,500 illegally. A case was registered under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Section 192(a) of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act. Further legal action is ongoing.
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Tags:
Overcharging
Mandalpatti
Kodagu Police
Jeep Driver
Tourist Complaint
Bharatiya nyaya sanhita
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