In a heartwarming incident that restores faith in humanity, a 28-year-old auto rickshaw driver in Navi Mumbai demonstrated extraordinary honesty by returning gold ornaments worth Rs 16 lakh that a passenger had accidentally left in his vehicle.
The Unforgettable Auto Ride
The remarkable event unfolded on Thursday when Santosh Shirke, an auto rickshaw driver residing in Ghansoli, picked up a mother-son duo from outside Vashi railway station. The woman had just returned from a Kashi pilgrimage with a group of devotees, and her son Santosh Motilag had come to receive her at the station.
The passengers alighted at Juhugaon, where the woman resided, but in their hurry, they left behind one bag containing gold ornaments and clothes. The precious items included 120 grams of gold worth approximately Rs 16 lakh, which represented the woman's hard-earned savings.
The Search and Recovery Mission
When the woman and her son discovered the missing bag, they immediately began searching for it. Santosh Motilag reached out to his friend, who happened to be an auto driver himself. The friend then posted a message about the lost valuables on a WhatsApp group used by auto rickshaw drivers in the area.
Meanwhile, Santosh Shirke had already discovered the forgotten bag in his auto rickshaw and taken immediate responsible action. Without hesitation, he deposited the valuable bag at the Autorickshaw union office located near Vashi railway station.
The Emotional Reunion
When Motilag learned through the WhatsApp group that his mother's bag had been found, he rushed to the union office. Together with Shirke, they brought the bag to Vashi police station to complete the formal handover process.
At the police station, auto driver Shirke identified Santosh Motilag as the rightful owner, and the precious gold ornaments were returned to their owner. According to API Ravindra Narote of Vashi police station, Motilag was overwhelmed with gratitude and struggled to find words to adequately praise Shirke for his honesty.
Motilag offered to reward Shirke in cash for his remarkable integrity, but the auto driver humbly declined, stating that he had only performed his duty as a responsible citizen. Shirke's actions demonstrated that he valued moral principles over material greed, proving he truly has a heart of gold.
Recognition for Honesty
The Vashi police station became the venue for a special felicitation ceremony where Santosh Shirke was honored for his exemplary conduct. In a world where such acts of honesty are becoming increasingly rare, Shirke's gesture stands as a shining example of integrity and moral courage.
This incident serves as a powerful reminder that honesty and moral values still thrive in our society, often in the most unexpected places and among ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
