Commissioner to monitor Uber cabbie assault case

Reports that only minor charges lodged against accused

City Police Commissioner M.P. Dinesh will review the action taken by the Maradu police in connection with the assault of an online-taxi driver by three women at Vyttila last week.

According to officials, the action follows a direction to this effect by the State Police Chief Loknath Behera following reports that the police officers had lodged only minor charges against the trio.

Official sources said the Commissioner would inspect CCTV images of the assault to determine whether there was scope for booking the trio with attempt to murder charges.

Uber taxi driver Shafeek was brutally assaulted by the three women, who had booked the vehicle under a cab pooling scheme.

The Maradu police booked Clara Shibin, 28, Sheeja Afsal, 30, and Angel Mary, 36, in connection with the case and later released them on station bail the same day.

Eyewitness’ claim

About three days after the incident, key witness Shinoj P.A. criticised the police, alleging that the trio had got away with the police lodging only petty charges against them.

According to Shinoj, the police had maintained that stringent action would be taken against them, but let them off on station bail.

Online taxi strike

Meanwhile, online taxi drivers in Kochi have announced an eighteen-hour strike from 12 noon on Monday to 6 a.m. on Tuesday to protest against the alleged inaction by the police in the case.