Karnataka doctor's card swiped for Rs 4 lakh instead of Rs 40 at toll booth

MANGALURU: A groggy toll attendant swiped Rs 4 lakh instead of Rs 40 from a doctor's debit card at Gundmi toll gate on the Kochi-Mumbai National Highway near Udupi around 10.30 p.m. Saturday. The toll gate is 18 km from Udupi.

The Mysuru-based doctor, who cops could identify only as Dr Rao, was travelling in his chauffeur-driven car to Mumbai via the coast. Around 10.30 p.m., he gave his debit card to pay the Rs 40 toll. The attendant, after swiping the card, gave the POS receipt and and toll receipt to the doctor.

When he received a text message that Rs 4 lakh had been debited from his account, he brought it to the notice of the toll gate staff. They refused to acknowledge their mistake, even after about two hours of the doctor's efforts to retrieve his money.

The doctor proceeded to Kota, which is about 5 km from the toll gate, and went to the police station there around 1 a.m. to file a complaint. He returned to the toll gate with the head constable.

Finally, the toll booth personnel admitted the attendant had entered the wrong amount and offered to reimburse the excess amount by cheque. But the doctor insisted he wanted the entire amount in cash.

The toll gate personnel contacted senior officials of the collection company and made arrangements to pay the Rs 3,99,960 in cash around 4 a.m. Police said the company usually has a daily collection of around Rs 8 lakh at Gundmi gate.