[14000rpm]

This is a story from the Christmas of 2009- wife and I decided to take a random trip to Ooty. We lived in Bangalore at that time and driving to Ooty was always a drop of a hat decision and we drove there quite frequently.

At that time, the only car we had was a humble Alto - my wife's gift to me as our first car.





We hit the road early in the morning with the plan to be at hotel by lunch time. Easily doable.

The roads are usually quite good but this time around, a little after Gundlupete, there happened to be road-work in progress and one lane was cut-off - literally. It was a 1/2 ft drop from driving lane to the in-work lane for a few kms. For all practical purposes, this was a one-way but then, who ever cares for it. When we were on this one-lane bit, an oncoming fast driving Jeep literally pushed us to the edge of the road - the edge which had the 1/2 ft drop. The rear wheel slipped into the drop and the car swerved. We were doing about 60-70 kph when the wife, who was driving, started to lose control. I yanked the hand brake to cut speed but we were headed to the fields on the other side. Just when all this is happening, a village riding his moped from the opposite direction choose to continue riding with God-knows-what-hope to pass by. Guess his mathematics was wrong and we struck his moped. We had certainly slowed down by this time and therefore, thankfully, did not run over him.





Did the first thing that struck my mind - checked if he was ok, made him sit down in my car and called Gundlupete police station myself and waited till the cops arrived. In the meantime, a mob started to gather. Thankfully, before that mob started to run their kangaroo court, the cops reached. I explained the whole situation, they saw the accident victim and figured it would be better to take him to the hospital in the jeep. I went to the Govt. hospital myself and spoke to the doctor. Luckily the wounds were superficial and he was treated as out-patient. The constables were with me as well and they noted the report.

We then went to the police station to ask what the course of action would be. The inspector called it a Minor accident and advised me to pay the victim for the damage to the moped and settle it directly with him. The victim, however, was a very innocent man and some loud-mouth from his village choose to mediate. After some shouting matches, we agreed to an amount in front of the cops and closed the matter. Peace was found and off we went to Kings Cliff Ooty to unwind from this mishap.

[14000rpm]

After 2 days of unwind time, we headed back to Bangalore. I had my flight to US in a few days after and I had to start packing etc.

On the way back, due to some brain-wave, which, in Hindsight, I shouldn't have heeded to, I decided to go to the police station and a)check if all was ok with with the victim and b)take an incident report. Perhaps it was the good Samaritan in me that made me take this turn towards the station.

The movie sliding doors played out in front of me.
If I had chosen to drive on, everything would have been fine and life would perhaps be totally normal. However, I choose to stop and check post which a completely unforeseen set of events got set in motion. I don't know who tipped off the aforementioned Loud-mouth who suddenly showed up at the station even before I sat down to discuss with the inspector.

When I last left from the station, Victim was an out-patient case, compensation was paid and peace was made. Suddenly, the same victim apparently is now at a situation where he was going to lose a limb and was in a serious condition. I am a doctor's son and have a fair idea in reading the report that the Govt. Hospital doctor made and gave to the constable. It was a clear report of superficial wounds and the associated medicines related to just the same.

The situation now at the police station is now more tense. The cops are somehow not the peace-keepers anymore and suddenly, they started to sing the same story that the loud-mouth was blaring. At that moment, I too started to think it is true. In all the mayhem, I was told that the victim is in a hospital in Mysore. One of the victim's relatives was now in the station. He didn't seem to be as aggressive as the mob that now gathered again at the station. It was a one against many situation. I have literally no idea how I convinced them all that I would take that not-so-aggressive relative in my car to the said hospital in Mysore.

It was certainly the most confusing moment in my life. I just could not connect the dots at that moment. How can an individual who was reported as an out-patient case suddenly have dire consequences? All these scenarios are playing in my head as I hit the highway and sped towards Mysore.
Of all the scenarios, the one that stuck to me was where I was the victim of a scam with cops also colluding with the scamsters. I took one look at that relative fellow in my car. Contrary to the situation, he seemed calm. I was getting wrong vibes. Screeched to a halt some 30 kms from Gundlupete towards Mysore. Pulled him out of the car and dumped him right there.

My rage wanted me to beat him up right there by the side of the highway and leave. Tried to keep my calm and left him on the highway, without beating him, and drove on after belching out my mouthfuls at him. Immediately called up some friends while still speeding back home and located a lawyer I may need just in case. I saw that I did not pick up any tail.
Reached home with the sense of relief that the Ordeal is over.

Or was it?

[14000rpm]

After a few days of our return, I had to fly out to US for my onsite assignment.
All these days there was total silence from the incident. If the victim was indeed in the serious situation I was told he is in, how come there is radio silence? My conviction in the Scam theory became stronger. We thought us not yielding to the situation was unexpected for the scamsters and they backed off.
Life soon got back to normal. Me in US, wife in Bangalore getting on with life.

But then.

After 2 months of the incident, wife got a knock on the door. It was cops from the Gundlupete station. It was all too sudden and wife never even got a chance to call me. It was night for me too in the US. Lots of heated arguments concluding in, them having a FIR and intending to arrest the driver of the car which, as I had reported, was me. She was alone in a verbal match which, God knows how, she managed to turn it back on them stating that the accused is not in the country and they are mistreating a woman, who is unaccused and she shooed them off. Turns out, they didn't even have the FIR they were talking about. She then called some of her friends who had some political connections for help just in case.

Wife thought the situation was managed but then, as the apartment watchman said after overhearing their conversation, the cops planned to come back with a tow truck and tow away my car which was parked in the ground floor of the apartment.

Upon hearing this, she immediately called few of my close friends one of whose father was in the Forestry department and had his Govt. quarters in the woods near Jalahalli. My friends came over quickly and drove the car away and hide it in the garage of said quarters with a car cover on it.

As expected they came back shortly looking for the car which was not where they had seen it earlier. They came back knocking at the door again. Another argument ensued and in the melee, wife asked for the FIR. This time, they did show one albeit with fudged dates. In between all this, she called her friend again and told that they are back to harassing her.

A few minutes later, the cops get a call from afore mentioned politician's office and some choice of words were delivered and they went away never to return.

All this drama happened which I was still sleeping in US. She didn't even call me and managed all of this single-handedly just like Obavva did in Chitradurga fort. Reference.

My hats off to her crisis management skills. The situation was dealt with once and for all never to rear it's head again. She too left to US a few days later to join me with the car still in hiding in my friends garage.

When silence prevailed we started to piece up the story. As you, the reader, may have also guessed, the Cops and the scamsters from the village colluded to skim money in the guise of a hefty insurance claim. I'm sure the original victim himself was completely unaware of all this. A lot of false paper work would have followed to make a quick buck and share the spoils with the cops. Heck, I wouldn't even be surprised if it was the cops idea to start with.

A classic case of Fox guarding the sheep.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Street Experiences section. Thanks for sharing!

[AYP]

This incident is a prime example of why a dashcam is a must in our country. Of course this is not directed at you OP. Dashcam in 2009 was pretty much non existent. Good to know that it all turned out well at the end.

[deathwalkr]

Many tales have been told of such instances where the victim is taken care of nicely and even part amicably after settling hospital bills and such. But sadly devious minds come into the picture and ideas of easy money are imprinted into the victims mind and when money comes into the head, sense of fairness goes for a toss.

My cynical mind tells me to get in writing on a piece of paper that the victim has no issues etc etc.

Had an accident many years back in my father in law's accord. NH work was progressing and long story short a matiz fellow who did not like me overtaking him, banged into the rear of the accord. Accord bumper dented, matiz front end vanished.

Even though the fellows in the matiz admitted it was their fault, my father in law's driver found a piece of paper and made them write and sign then and there.

Better safe than sorry he said when i asked him later...

Glad to know your wife handled the situation well. Horrible experience no doubt.

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

A classic case of Fox guarding the sheep.

This is so very true. Damn you just ignited a memory of a decade back incident in which no external injury happened to the third party, only the car and my family inside was involved in the accident and the cops tried to make a case that "I was trying to kill my family" until some very elite people got involved and the mess was resolved in few days. I guess need to pen it down sometime the whole ordeal.

That day I learned, there will be people who will act like an angel in the garb of a dacoit and it’s a sad state if unfortunately, you get entangled in the system related issues. The whole system from top to down, which I dealt during those 2/3 days was simply corrupt and acted like a vulture. Name it, Judiciary, Lawyer, Cops, Doctors, taxi guys, helpers, everyone was hand in glove and worked like a well oiled corrput machine, the only silver lining was a family who gave us the lift to the nearest hospital/police check post.

At the end I can just say all’s well that ends well. But feel sad for the people who don't have anyone to save from such unwanted mess.

[rajeevsulu]

Glad that you got of relatively unscathed. Eons ago, when I was 18 and with a fresh licence, we were driving to Alappuzha in Kerala in our 800.Me, mom and my sister covered 340 out of the 360 kms blissfully. I was driving and in Cherthala, a boy ran from behind a parked bus and i hit him at 30 km/h.
On getting down, my mom very casually said she was driving and took the mantle on herself for I had just entered second year dental school. We went to the local police station and offered to take care of the boy plus extra expenses.
Those guys agreed and then on learning mom belonged to Seematti, a textile chain, tried to pull money from us. My uncle saw red, told them to go to court, mom travelled a zillion times to Cherthala from Erode, and got acquitted after 4 years.
Corrupt cops are the bane of our system. A bad government lawyer adds to the trouble and dragged us to court. These guys had the gall to come to my uncle after the judgement and beg for some money and were chased away.
The cops always are on the look out for some quick money
Anyway, glad you are safe!!

[sreerknair]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

Lots of heated arguments concluding in, them having a FIR and intending to arrest the driver of the car which, as I had reported, was me.

A classic case of Fox guarding the sheep.

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

I was driving and in Cherthala, a boy ran from behind a parked bus and i hit him at 30 km/h.
On getting down, my mom very casually said she was driving and took the mantle on herself for I had just entered second year dental school.

When we bend the laws - it is correct and socially acceptable. But when the victim/authorities tries to loot us out of that - it is a classic case of Fox guarding the sheep

Some incidents are best kept as secret for life !

[HappyWheels]

The car photo reminded me of my 2005 model Alto, albeit with the older frontal design!

And yes, those days where when driving to Ooty from Bangalore was Friday night plans!

Good to know that your better half really handled it well and not try to be a too good a samaritan like you.

Question - what triggered this flashback?

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by AYP

This incident is a prime example of why a dashcam is a must in our country.

True. But then, even if I had a dashcam, the turn-out of events may still have been the same.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

...But sadly devious minds come into the picture and ideas of easy money are imprinted into the victims mind

In this case, I am quite positive the victim may not even have been aware of the scam people were planning in his name.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Glad to know your wife handled the situation well. Horrible experience no doubt.

Yupp. It could have gone very bad very quickly too.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...cops tried to make a case that "I was trying to kill my family" until some very elite people got involved and the mess was resolved in few days.

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Corrupt cops are the bane of our system. A bad government lawyer adds to the trouble and dragged us to court.

Cops can get really creative if they chose to. There are lots of good cops too but some horrible experiences mar the rest.

Originally Posted by sreerknair

When we bend the laws - it is correct and socially acceptable. But when the victim/authorities tries to loot us out of that - it is a classic case of Fox guarding the sheep

In my case, there were no laws that were bent from my end. The accident happened because of us. No doubt and we said nothing different than that. In fact I had insisted the cops report this accident and have the insurance company and their lawyers deal with this. The cops advised not to and brokered a compensation.

Guess I'll have to agree to disagree about our incident.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

The car photo reminded me of my 2005 model Alto, albeit with the older frontal design!

Thought your Safari was your first car. Now I know more.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

And yes, those days where when driving to Ooty from Bangalore was Friday night plans!

If I was still in Bangalore, perhaps I'd still be doing it. I love that drive.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Good to know that your better half really handled it well and not try to be a too good a samaritan like you.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Question - what triggered this flashback?

Recollected this incident while on a long flight. Penned it down immediately.

[AtheK]

I once got into a similar situation and i was also trying to get an out of court settlement, a nice lawyer sitting there said usually he charges for this, but he will give me an advice for free. He said get a FIR done and have everything documented, let judge decide the compensation.

I took his advice and got a call after 3 months from police station saying I have a hearing in court, went there and judge asked me if it was my fault or not. I was told that I can say it is not my fault but in that case I will have to prove my innocence. Other way is to admit it is your fault and judge will put a penalty of rash driving and one more fine and you pay the fine. If victim is there he can then claim compensation and judge will decide the same and Insurance company will pay for it.

I decided to agree it was my fault, which it was to a certain extent, but since there was hardly any injury to the person he never showed up in the court and case was closed by paying a fine of some few hundred rupees.

I advice everyone to maybe follow the same route, if god forbidden you get into such scenario, Yes you will need to visit the court, but it is totally worth the peace of mind.

Also kudos and hats off to your wife for handling it in such a mature manner.