Auto driver does striptease in RTO over permit denial

Thane, Jun 24 (UNI) In a novel form of protest, an autorickshaw driver peeled off his clothes in front of officers of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) here to express his anguish over the denial of permission to ferry passengers in his vehicle.

However, Wadilal Yadav's act failed to move the officers who pointed out that the permission sought by the autorickshaw driver was not within their powers to grant.

Yadav, earlier, had a permit to operate petrol-run autorickshaw.

But three years ago, he acquired a diesel-run vehicle and has been running from pillar to post for the necessary permit.

Yesterday, Yadav experimented with ''Gandhigiri'' taking a cue from Sanjay Dutt's movie ''Lage Raho Munnabhai''.

Attired as Mahatma Gandhi, complete with a stick, Yadav marched to the RTO and put his case once again before the authorities.

Finding the officers still adamant, Yadav suddenly started peeling off his clothes.

Expressing their inability to grant Yadav the permit, one of officers, Sanjay Raut, said, ''We cannot grant the permit as it is the prerogative of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).'' UNI XR MAZ SW AS1438