While the passenger was surprised to learn that the auto driver was merely 18 years old, he was more amazed when the teenager returned to his house with the bag he had forgotten in the auto rickshaw

More often than not, auto rickshaw drivers are bad-mouthed by Mumbaikars who believe they are just waiting to fleece customers. So it was a pleasant surprise for a Chembur resident when an 18-year-old auto driver took the pain to track him down and return a shopping bag forgotten in the rickshaw.



18-year-old Vinit Gohil returned to the passenger’s building and tracked down his flat number so he could return the forgotten shopping bag

Siva Sankar (46), a media professional from Chembur had gone shopping on Saturday evening, and was on his way home when he boarded an auto from Chembur railway station. But he was taken aback when he saw the driver, who looked far too young to drive.

“When I boarded the rickshaw, I found the driver was thin and very young. In fact, I asked him about his age and his driving experience,” recalled Sankar. Though the driver, Vinit Gohil told him he was 18 years old, Sankar found it hard to believe, and asked to see the youth’s licence.

The two got talking, and Sankar even clicked Gohil’s picture, convinced that he must be one of the city’s youngest auto drivers. By the time they reached his residence in the Chembur Karnatak High School area, Sankar was so absorbed in the conversation, he forgot his shopping bag in the auto.

It was only when he got home that he realised he didn’t have the bag. Fortunately, he had taken the driver’s picture, and could use it to find him, Sankar thought. “I thought I could go back to the station and find him with the help of the photo,” he said.

To his surprise, the doorbell rang fifteen minutes later, and Gohil was waiting outside with his bag. Gohil told him that his next passenger had pointed out the shopping bag in the auto, and he realised that Sankar had forgotten it. He dropped his passenger off and then headed back to Sankar’s building, where he had asked the guard which flat Sankar lived in.

“I have been travelling in the city for years, but this is the first time something like this happened. There have been many incidents in the past when commuters forgot their belongings in a taxi or auto rickshaw, but nobody bothers to return them,” said Sankar, adding that Gohil had not even accepted any reward for his effort. “I tried to give him some money as a reward, but he refused to take anything from me. He just smiled and left,” said Sankar.