A show of affection or a heinous crime? The act of an e-rickshaw driver in Guwahati on Thursday divided opinion when he was found planting a kiss on a 12-year-old child.

The incident, which was reported from the Lokhra area of the city, landed the driver of an e-rickshaw in trouble with the locals.

As per reports, the minor's uncle had hailed the e-rickshaw for it from near Brahmaputra Bazar, a local vegetable market near Beharbari in Guwahati. The child was to be dropped at Lokhra by the e-rickshaw.

However, instead of dropping the child off, the driver of the e-rickshaw, who was identified as Siddique Ali, reportedly engaged in immoral acts with the 12-year-old.

Upon perceiving the incident, the locals raised alarm and manhandled the e-rickshaw driver. Soon after, police officials from the Basistha Police Station in Guwahati reached the scene.

The police took Siddique Ali along with them to the police station and detained him, according to the information at hand.

However, it remains unclear as to whether the act was out of affection, as pointed out by a section of the onlookers, or a heinous crime averted in the nick of time, as others claimed.

Further details regarding the matter are awaited.