Bhadrak, Jan 19: In a bizarre and shocking turn of events, an auto-rickshaw driver in Odisha's Bhadrak district has been slapped with a challan for allegedly not wearing a helmet while driving—despite operating a goods-carrying vehicle.

Ramakrishna Nath, the auto driver, discovered the fine, issued back in 2021, only recently while attempting to obtain a pollution certificate for his vehicle. The challan, which was issued near Balipokhari in the district, surprised Nath, especially since his vehicle (OD22E9731) is classified as a goods carrier, not a passenger vehicle.

To his disbelief, Nath’s three-wheeler was mistakenly listed as a passenger auto-rickshaw, and he was fined Rs 1,000 for not wearing a helmet while driving it.

The incident has sparked a debate among locals, raising concerns about the accuracy of traffic enforcement records in the region. Residents are now questioning how such errors could occur and what it means for the reliability of the system.