A 35-year-old driver partner, employed with the cab-hailing service Uber, was stabbed by a passenger in the outskirts of Hyderabad on Saturday evening. The passenger, who had booked the trip under the name ‘Raju’, stabbed the victim allegedly without any provocation and fled the crime scene along with his friend who was also travelling in the cab with him. The police have filed an FIR in the case and are on the lookout for the accused. Passers-by rushed the driver to a nearby hospital and his condition is said to be stable.
On Saturday, driver Balaraju got a booking on his Uber app from a person named Raju, the police said. The trip was scheduled from Koti bus station to the Sanghi temple in Hayathnagar. Two persons, in their early twenties, boarded the cab from the bus stand. “This was around 8 pm and the passengers had opted to pay for the service through cash,” Hayathnagar inspector K Satish told TNM.
Soon after the duo reached the Sanghi temple, they told Balaraju that they were unable to contact their friend who had promised to meet them at the temple. They requested Balaraju to take them back to Koti, to which the driver agreed. One of the passengers changed the drop location to Koti on the app and the driver commenced the journey.
The cab reached the Outer Ring Road at about 9.30 pm when one of the accused, who was sitting in the rear seat, allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked Balaraju.
“The accused was stabbed on the neck, shoulders and head. He immediately stopped the car and both the passengers fled the scene. We were alerted by the passers-by who saw Balaraju lying wounded inside the car. From Balaraju’s statements, there is no particular intention behind the attack. He also said the attackers were not known to him before. Also, there has been no attempt of theft inside the car," the police official said.
A case has been filed against the accused, Raju, under Section 307 of IPC (Attempt to murder).
“We are tracking the details of the accused through the booking made on the Uber app. If it was a pre-meditated attack, chances are there that the name could be false. The victim is currently lodged at Yashoda hospital in Malkajgiri,” the cop added.
Uber in their respone to the incident told TNM, “What’s been described is unacceptable. Our hearts are with the driver partner and we wish for his speedy recovery. Violence has no place on the Uber app or anywhere else and the rider’s access has been removed. We are assisting the law enforcement with their investigations.”
“What’s been described is unacceptable. Our hearts are with the driver partner and we wish for his speedy recovery. Violence has no place on the Uber app or anywhere else and the rider’s access has been removed. We are assisting the law enforcement with their investigations.”