Cabbie attacked near Bommanahalli by passengers over fare row

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A cab driver was allegedly attacked with a knife by two customers who had booked his cab from Bommasandra.

The incident took place early Sunday when Dileep, a cab driver attached to a private firm, picked two men from Bommasandra Circle. As they reached near Ayyappa Swamy Temple on Hosur Road, the men started an argument with the driver for charging Rs 200 extra.

As per the complaint, Dileep tried to explain that the amount is fixed by the company through a mobile app. But the men continued to hurl abuses at him.

They made the victim stop his car near Bommanahalli and attacked him with a knife, slashing his arm. The injured victim was shifted to a hospital. Madiwala police officials have taken up a case and are scanning CCTV footage of the area to nab the culprits.

Four arrested
In a similar incident, police arrested a gang of four on Saturday for robbing a cab driver. According to a complaint, the gang had fled with the victim’s car and a gold chain from Sampigehalli.

The arrested have been identified as Hrithik Gowda, a resident of Nandini Layout, Nithin Gowda, Sumanth EK and Darshan S who are from Nagamangala in Mandya district. The accused are aged between 20 and 23 years, police said.

A police officer said that the incident took place on April 1. The accused booked the cab at Shivaram Karanth Layout and when the driver reached the pickup spot, the accused snatched the car key. When the cabbie tried to resist, they stabbed him on his forearms and fled with the car.

Based on a complaint, the police collected CCTV footage from the ATM premises where the accused had earlier withdrawn Rs 200 and identified the prime accused Hrithik. After his arrest, Hrithik revealed the role of three of his associates who were taken into custody.

The gang had been habitual offenders. With help of the records maintained by the police, the gang was arrested.

According to the police, the gang was involved in similar robberies in Doddaballapur, Bellandur, Hanumanthnagar and Sampigehalli earlier. The police have seized a bike, two mobile phones and a gold chain. Further investigations are on, police said.