Mysore/Mysuru: Miscreants, who took an auto rickshaw on rent, threatened the auto driver with a knife, snatched away Rs. 2,000 from the driver and have fled with the auto. The incident took place near Devalapura in the taluk yesterday night.

The auto driver, who lost his money and auto is Ravi, a resident of Anandur village, near Pump House in Srirangapatna taluk. Yesterday at about 9 pm, when Ravi was waiting for passengers near Mysore Palace, two persons, who came out from the south gate (near CADA Office) of the Palace, came to Ravi and asked him to take them to Kadakola.

Ravi, who agreed, took them in his auto (KA-09-C-5424) and was proceeding towards Kadakola when they asked him to stop near Gundu Rao Nagar to purchase liquor. After purchasing liquor, the miscreants, while proceeding near Bandipalya, told Ravi to drop them at Devalapura as they would not get a bus to their place from Kadakola..

When Ravi then took them to Devalapura, the miscreants told Ravi that they had to give the liquor to someone and asked Ravi to go a little further. Ravi then stopped the auto near a gate at Devalapura and went to the roadside to attend nature’s call when one of the miscreants caught hold of his neck, threatened him with a knife, took away Rs. 2,000 which was in Ravi’s pant pocket, pushed him into a ditch and fled with the auto rickshaw.

Ravi then informed Mysuru Rural Police, who along with Varuna Police visited the spot at 12 midnight and have launched a hunt to trace the auto and nab the miscreants.