HYDERABAD: The case of a 35-year-old woman from London who claimed to have been "kidnapped" by a cabbie after she landed in the city, ended this week after Cyberabad police tracked her and the cab driver down to Goa. The duo was caught on their way back to Hyderabad from a vacation in the holiday destination.
Police said both were counselled, and the woman was sent back to London the next day. The cabbie was also let off with a warning after the woman confessed to have gone with him to Goa of her own accord.
The case of the missing woman came to light last week after she allegedly abandoned her two minor children in a park in London and flew to Hyderabad, where her husband, a software professional, was at that time to attend his mother's last rites.
"When the children called up their father to inform him about their mother's disappearance, he flew back to London and lodged a 'missing person' complaint with us via e-mail," a Cyberabad police officer said.
Following this, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport police registered a "missing person" case and began a probe.
Went to Goa with cab driver on my own will, woman tells copsThe complainant’s wife and children lived in Alwal till early Sept this year. His wife met the driver during a vacation and continued to keep in touch.
They got close over time,” a police officer said, adding: “Other family members got a whiff of this and alerted her husband in London. Later, in the second week of Sept, he called his wife and children over to London.”
About 10 days ago, the complainant’s mother passed away and he came down to Hyderabad, leaving his wife and the children in London. It was during this time that his wife also took a flight back to India, the officer said.
“When the complainant initially contacted his wife over phone — after going back to London — she told him she was kidnapped by a cab driver in Hyderabad. He asked her to stay put and told her he would book himself on the next flight. But, after the complainant tried to call her again, her number was switched off,” the officer said.
The woman later sent her husband a video clip of her pleading to be rescued. She claimed she was taken to an unknown location. Her husband promptly sent an e-mail to the Cyberabad police commissioner and airport police to lodge a complaint.
“We caught her when both were returning to city. She admitted she was not kidnapped and had gone with the cabbie to Goa of her own will,” K Balaraju, SHO of RGI Airport police station, said.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.