LUCKNOW, June 11 -- Amid growing concerns over commuter safety and unchecked operation of public transport vehicles, Lucknow Police launched a citywide crackdown on e-rickshaws, checking 2,201 vehicles, issuing challans to 434 and seizing 117 for serious violations. The special drive, conducted on June 9 on the directions of Lucknow police commissioner Amrendra Kumar Sengar, targeted illegally operated e-rickshaws, vehicles without valid documents, overloading, traffic rule violations and unauthorised parking or passenger pick-up points. The enforcement campaign comes at a time when passenger safety in last-mile public transport has come under renewed scrutiny. After an encounter in Para on Monday, police arrested an autorickshaw driver accused of targeting two women travelling for a competitive examination. The accused, identified as Haseeb, allegedly lured the women into his vehicle near Charbagh on the pretext of taking them to Alambagh before driving them to a secluded location and attempting to sexually assault them, said police. Separately, police are investigating a complaint by a woman who alleged that she lost consciousness during an e-rickshaw ride after coming into contact with a suspicious substance and later discovered that her gold chain worth up to Rs.3.5 lakh had been stolen. While officials described Tuesday's operation as part of an ongoing effort to improve traffic management and enforce regulations, the drive focused on major transit hubs and crowded public areas where commuters frequently depend on e-rickshaws for local travel....