Two Uber drivers, AIIMS technician among 10 held for robbing cab passengers

Two Uber drivers and an AIIMS technician were among 10 people held for assaulting and robbing passengers in Noida and Greater Noida on the pretext of offering them a ride, police said on Friday.

The 10 accused are part of the three gangs involved in over 100 such cases in the region and were held by officials from the Site 5 police station, they said.

All the accused though from different gangs were known to each other and would pickup target passengers from places like Sector 37, Pari Chowk, Mahamaya Flyover-- major junctions for public hailing transportation, early in the mornings or late at night, a senior officer said.

"All 10, including two Uber drivers and one former Uber driver and a technician working on ad-hoc at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, were currently staying in Gejha village under Sector 49 police station area," Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna said.

"Probe findings indicate their involvement in over 100 such cases -- one of the biggest -- in which they have offered rides to people, then assaulted and robbed them off cash, valuables, credit/debit cards, mobile phones, 18 of these cases that took place recently have been worked out with their arrest," he told reporters.

Nearly two dozen mobile phones, two illegal firearms along with ammunition were recovered from their possession and their two hatchbacks with three separate number plates, which were used by them during crime, impounded, Krishna said.

Those held have been identified as Chandrakesh Yadav, Bhagirath Yadav, Suresh Yadav, Kuldeep, Shashikant Singh, Suraj Singh, Sonu Gautam, Badal Singh, Janardan and Sonu Jatav, police said.

The district police chief also rewarded the Site 5 police station team with Rs 25,000 cash for working out this case.

Noida Police also appealed to the people to be cautious while hitching rides on unverified cabs, and opt only for taxis that they have booked themselves and match the details before a ride.