Click to play videoScene: It's past 6 pm in Bangalore. You have missed your regular office cab and are waiting for an alternative mode of transport. Cab drivers from other companies, heading in the same direction, are only too willing to give you a lift as they can earn some extra buck in the process. But wait a minute before you hop on to that cab. Not all cabbies can be trusted.
Bangalore: India's IT hub seems to be in the grip of a mugging spree. Three mugging cases were reported in the city in the past two days and it's the software professionals who are mostly the targets.
On September 18, Mohammed Suhail, a city-based software professional, took a lift from an unknown cabbie to Mahadevapura area of the city. On the way, the cab driver robbed him at knife-point.
On June 30, another IT professional, R T Ramkumar, was got a lift home from a cabbie. The driver stopped at an ATM and forced Ramkumar to withdraw cash.
Last year, another engineer, Adeep Lahari, was mugged and later killed.
According to the city police, in most cases, it's the call centre cab drivers who are responsible for these attacks.
"It's a few call center employees, call center vehicle drivers who are indulging in this kind of mugging. So we have kept a watch and told call center drivers to be cautious,” says Joint Commissioner (Crime), Hosur, Gopal B.
The police say call center drivers team up to target software professionals in secluded areas. “Actually, the Bangalore city police have caught hold of a couple of gangs which have indulged in this kind of crime. They've been booked and sent to jail but unfortunate thing is they come out on bail very quickly,” says Gopal.
Bangalore has seen 300 robberies in the last ten months, an average of one everyday.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
 |
 |
 |
|
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.