Bengaluru Uber rider assaulted driver: Cops

BENGALURU: An

Uber passenger

who accused a cabbie of assaulting him in Jayanagar on July 6 had attacked the driver and was, in turn, roughed up by passersby, police said, citing preliminary investigation.

Abir Chandra

, 30, sales manager with a global FMCG company and Marathahalli resident, had alleged that Uber cabbie Anush R, 24, assaulted him and left him bleeding on the road with a broken nose, two fractured fingers and multiple injuries on his face and head.

Chandra had booked an

UberPool

but was alone in the cab. In his complaint to Suddaguntepalya police, Chandra said he was assaulted when he declined to oblige to the driver’s request to cut short the ride and get down from the cab.

Anush (in pic), however, said Chandra hit him first, following which passsersby and onlookers attacked the passenger and handed him over to police. According to Anush, Chandra was in a foul mood from the time the ride began at Jayanagar 4th Block. Chandra was heard arguing in Hindi with somebody over phone. He urged Anush to speed up and started abusing him in Hindi when he did not oblige. When Chandra went on abusing him, Anush stopped the vehicle near the underpass near Jayadeva Hospital on Bannerghatta Road.

“Alighting from the cab, Chandra kicked me in the chest and punched me on the right eye. I began bleeding and onlookers, including some auto drivers, caught Chandra and assaulted him before handing over him to police,” he said.

“I was actually the victim and not the culprit as is being made out by the passenger. I lodged a complaint with Suddaguntepalya police on July 13 after getting treated for injuries,” Anush said.

Police said they had received complaints from both parties. “Preliminary probe revealed it was Chandra who first attacked the cabbie. Chandra was later assaulted by onlookers. We apprised the VI Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court of our findings and after seeking its permission, registered an FIR against Chandra under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult to cause breach of peace) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt). We will summon Chandra and take his statement,” said police.


WILL SUMMON CHANDRA

Preliminary probe revealed that it was Chandra who first attacked the cabbie. Chandra was later assaulted by onlookers. We apprised the VI Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court of our findings and after seeking its permission, registered an FIR against Chandra under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult to cause breach of peace) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt). We will summon Chandra and take his statement

— Suddaguntepalya police