A 35-year-old woman, the wife of a senior advocate, was allegedly abducted and criminally intimidated by an app cab driver in Kolkata on Sunday. The incident occurred when the driver demanded an inflated fare and then sped away with the woman, leaving her husband behind at a central Kolkata bus stand. This led to a frantic rescue operation by Kolkata Police, resulting in the driver's arrest.
Details of the Incident
The complainant, a resident of north Kolkata and son of a former Kolkata Police assistant sub-inspector, booked a taxi from Kiran Sankar Roy Road to his residence around 1:20 pm. His wife was accompanying him. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the trouble began when the driver, identified as Abdul Ghaffar, allegedly demanded an inflated fare.
Fare Dispute Escalates
At the Dharmatala bus stand, the complainant stated that when he wanted to board the car, the driver demanded Rs 350 instead of the Rs 238 shown on the app. After negotiation, the driver settled for Rs 300. The advocate then contacted the app's customer care, and the fare was further negotiated to Rs 290. While the advocate was standing outside the car, the driver suddenly sped away with his wife still inside the vehicle.
Abduction and Threats
The woman was taken towards Kidderpore. She later reported that the driver subjected her to a barrage of filthy language and threatened to rape her. He also claimed that his aides would harm her husband. The advocate immediately dialed 100 to report the abduction, triggering a police response.
Rescue and Arrest
Kolkata Police launched a search operation and successfully rescued the woman. The accused driver was arrested, and a case has been registered. The police are investigating the matter further.
