Image : ANI
How does anyone define honesty? Does character come with the fact that how rich or educated the person is? In the world we live in it doesn’t seem plausible that a rickshaw-puller,who finds difficult to even arrange bread and butter for two times, returns a package containing cash worth Rupees one lakh and seventeen thousand which he had found unattended on road.
But for few people, honesty and integrity comes before anything, even before money. ‘Money’ for which people are willing are ready to do anything.
Mohammed Aabid Qureshi, 26-year-old rickshaw-puller, who earns Rs 200 to Rs 300, per day, found the huge amount near Government Hostel Circle,Jaipur on Wednesday, Aug 5.
The First thought that came to the mind of Qureshi was to return the money but he was scared of going to police who, he thought, could blame him for stealing the Rs 1.17 lakh.
But he resolved to return it after his wife told him to return it without even opening the package.
Meanwhile, the rickshaw puller’s wife stated that she was happy with whatever she had by god’s grace. She further said that god was there to provide for her kids.
“He (Qureshi) was restless on Wednesday night when he came home and showed me the packet. I also developed cold feet and asked him to give the money to police immediately. But, being Muslims, we were scared of going to a police station,” she said.
Qureshi said he found the packet at around 4pm on Wednesday and waited at the spot for the next six hours, hoping the person who had dropped it would return. But when no one came till 10 pm, Qureshi headed home.
Asked if he ever thought of keeping the whole money with him, Aabid said, “Imaandaari sabse badi niyamat hai saab (Honesty is the biggest gift, sir).” He added, “Pak Quran main likha hai jiska imaan hota hai woh jannat ka haqdaar hota hai (It is written in the holy Quran that a person who is honest is entitled to go to heaven).” as told to Times Of India.
He finally went to the local police station with representative of an NGO to surrender the money. After speaking to the commissioner, his nightmare came true. Officials suspected he could be a carrier of fake currency and first took him to a machine that scanned all the notes to show they were genuine. And later commissioner appreciated him for his honesty.
Qureshi slept peacefully on Thursday night. He was happy he didn’t fall prey to the lure of lucre.
