Nagpur: In a commendable display of honesty and social responsibility, an auto-rickshaw driver in Nagpur returned a lost bag containing cash, gold jewellery, a mobile phone and debit cards worth around ₹4.75 lakh to its owner.

According to the Lakadganj police, Mamta Naresh Yadav, a government school teacher and resident of Yadav Nagar, had reported that she had lost her bag on August 31 while shopping near Juna Bada Stand Chowk, opposite Amar Talkies.

The bag contained ₹1.75 lakh in cash, a 1.5-tola gold ring valued at around ₹2.5 lakh, a mobile phone worth approximately ₹50,000 and three ATM/debit cards. The total value of the belongings was estimated at around ₹4.75 lakh.

While Lakadganj police were investigating the matter, Sachin Motiramji Nikhare, 40, an auto-rickshaw driver from Vinoba Bhave Nagar, found the bag along with its contents on September 1.

Nikhare, without any expectation of personal gain, handed over the bag to Lakadganj police, who ensured that it was safely returned to Yadav.

Recognising his honesty, civic responsibility and sense of duty, Lakadganj police felicitated Nikhare and presented him with an Appreciation Certificate.

Police have appealed to citizens to demonstrate similar honesty and social responsibility and extend cooperation to the police whenever they find lost valuables or come across such incidents.