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Taxi driver finds over Rs 16 lakh in his cab, returns it

Updated on: 15 May,2014 08:18 AM IST  | 
Agencies |

Finding 170,000 yuan in the backseat of his cab after taking a young couple to a car shop, Zhao Lei handed the money in to his company, who gave it back to the passengers

Taxi driver finds over Rs 16 lakh in his cab, returns it

Heilongjiang: A generous taxi driver has become an overnight celebrity in China after he found a huge bundle of cash in the back of his cab — and promptly returned it to its rightful owner. Zhao Lei discovered 170,000 yuan (approximately Rs 16,23,000) in a paper bag on the backseat of his taxi after taking a young couple to a car dealership in Harbin, in the north-eastern province of Heilongjiang.


Taxi
Pic for representation

Instead of keeping the huge haul — likely to be at least three times his annual salary — he handed it in to the company which he works for. The firm contacted the passengers, who said they had been carrying so much cash in order to pay for a new car, and returned the money.

The delighted couple tried to offer Zhao 10,000 yuan (Rs 95,400) as a reward for his honesty, but he refused to accept it.

‘Won’t take advantage’
“It’s what I have to do,” the driver said after news of his exploits came to light. “Anyone who lost such a big amount of money will go crazy. I won’t take advantage of that.”

GDP per person in China is around £4,500 (Rs 44,8580), meaning that the bounty discovered by Zhao represents an enormous reward for the average Chinese person.

Taxi drivers earn less than 5,000 yuan a month for working 14-hour shifts, six days a week.The story of Zhao’s selflessness is likely to be held up as an example of community spirit by the Chinese media, in contrast to a wave of stories demonstrating the increasing individualism of the country’s society.

In 2011, a little girl who was run over by two cars was seen on camera bleeding to death while nearly 20 passers-by simply ignored her plight.

President Xi Jinping has introduced the concept of the ‘Chinese Dream’ in a bid to ensure that citizens retain their sense of social solidarity as the country grows wealthier.



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