CIBIL score fell; livelihood destroyed: Kerala auto driver dies by suicide, blames MVD

A 35-year-old autorickshaw driver, Shoukath, allegedly died by suicide after posting on Facebook that the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) had repeatedly denied a fitness certificate for his vehicle, police said.

Shoukath, a native of Kizhissery in Malappuram, had been working as an autorickshaw driver for the past four years. In a Facebook post before his death, he made several allegations against the MVD and said the dispute over his vehicle had left him in severe financial distress.

Friends who saw the post alerted the police and reached his house, where he was found dead, police said.

Shoukath alleged 10-month struggle with MVD

In his Facebook post, Shoukath alleged that he had been visiting MVD offices for nearly 10 months in connection with the fitness certificate of his autorickshaw.

He alleged that officials had repeatedly denied the certificate because he had approached the department without the assistance of agents. He said this had effectively destroyed his livelihood.

Shoukath also said his loan EMIs had fallen overdue and claimed that his credit score had dropped from 820 to 600 because of his financial difficulties.

He described his death as a protest against what he alleged was a corrupt system and urged people to seek information from government departments using the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

He raised questions over vehicle modifications

A major part of Shoukath's post concerned steel work carried out on his autorickshaw.

He alleged that the MVD could claim during an investigation that his vehicle was unfit because of the modification. However, he claimed that the department had twice previously certified that the steel work was not illegal.

Shoukath alleged that the MVD could later argue that his vehicle was unfit because the steel work was present, while also allowing fitness certificates for other vehicles without such modifications.

He called for a detailed investigation to establish the facts and urged the state Home Minister and the Kerala High Court to intervene.

Shoukath called for end to agent system

Shoukath also alleged that the agent system was a major reason for corruption in the MVD and called for it to be abolished.

He claimed that ending the system could significantly reduce corruption in the department. He urged people to actively intervene in government affairs and use the RTI Act to obtain documents and information rather than remaining passive.

In his post, he also recommended the book System Out Complete, written by Prashanth IAS, saying it could help people understand how government departments function and how the RTI Act can be used to pursue their demands.

He appealed to people to continue fighting corruption and concluded the post with the words,“Let corruption be destroyed. Jai Bhim.”

Police register unnatural death case

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shoukath's death.

The allegations in his Facebook post have not been established at this stage. The investigation will examine his claims concerning the fitness certificate, the vehicle modifications and the alleged role of agents.

His body will be handed over to the family after the postmortem examination, police said.

Transport Minister seeks report

Transport Minister C P John has sought a report on the allegations raised by Shoukath against the Kondotty Sub Regional Transport Office.

Officials said the Malappuram District RTO will conduct an inquiry and submit a report to the minister.

The inquiry will determine the facts surrounding Shoukath's allegations and the action, if any, taken by MVD officials in relation to his vehicle.

(If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, seek immediate support from a mental health professional or a trusted person. Suicide is not a solution, and help is available. In Kerala, the DISHA health helpline can be reached at 1056 or 0471-2552056 (toll-free).)