delhi

Updated: May 06, 2017 17:52 IST

A 24-year-old kaali-peeli taxi driver Debendra Kapri walked into the Domestic Airport police station in Delhi on Wednesday evening and opened a backpack on the reception table. The officer manning the reception desk was shocked when he found that the bag contained gold jewellery, a laptop, one Apple iPhone, a camera, 70 US dollars — all valued over Rs 8 lakh.

Kapri told him that he had come to return the bag that belonged to a passenger who had forgotten it in his cab. Kapri said that he had dropped the passenger in central Delhi’s Paharganj area and he did not know his identity or where he went from Paharganj.

“I was impressed with the honesty showed by Kapri. He knew the value of the items in the bag but decided to return it,” said the officer.

Sanjay Bhatia, deputy commissioner of police (IGI), said that the duty officer alerted the station house officer (SHO) who in turn informed him about the matter. “The bag was thoroughly checked. In addition to the US currency notes and costly electronic items, the bag also contained important documents,” said Bhatia.

Kapri claimed that after dropping the passenger outside a hotel in Paharganj, he returned to Connaught Place area. He was cleaning the windowpanes of his Maruti Esteem car when he saw a backpack lying on the rear seat.

“I was confused and did not know what to do with the bag. I could not return it to its owner because I did not know in which hotel the passenger was staying. I opened the bag and found cash, jewellery and electronic items. I decided to hand it over to the police,” said Kapri, who came to Delhi four years ago from Bihar’s Banka district for livelihood.

While scanning the documents, the DCP said, a wedding card was also found. The card had a mobile number on it. A call was made on the mobile number and it was received by a man in Srinagar. When the man was asked if anybody known to him was travelling to Delhi by air, he claimed that his brother reached Delhi in the evening to seek a Visa for himself from the US embassy. He was informed about the bag and was asked to inform his brother in Delhi about it.

As the police personnel were making a list of the items in the bag on a piece of paper, Kapri stood by and ensured that no item is misplaced. “I insisted that the list should be made in my presence and even requested for a copy of the list. I wanted to keep it as a proof so that if by any chance the owner of bag finds me and asks me to return the bag, I can prove that his belongings were safe in the police custody,” Kapri told HT.

While the policemen were busy completing the legal formalities, the owner of the bag, Mubisher Wani, arrived at the police station and claimed that his brother from Srinagar informed him about his missing backpack. Kapri identified the man as the same passenger whom he had dropped in outside a hotel in Paharganj. The passenger gave details of the items which were there inside the bag. Upon confirmation that the bag belonged to him, all items were returned to him.

“Even the bag owner appreciated and thanked him for his efforts His act is exemplary and need highest recognition. I have recommended for a suitable cash reward for the Good Samaritan,” said Bhatia.