HYDERABAD: A 27-year-old businessman from Secunderabad has lodged a complaint with the Begumpet police against an Uber cab driver, alleging that the latter assaulted him and misbehaved with his female friend.

On Wednesday night, Abhinav Sunkara, 27, who runs an advertising and branding firm in Secunderabad, lodged a complaint with the Begumpet police against Uber driver Syed Ahmed, alleging that the latter had assaulted him and verbally his female friend during their journey from Secunderabad towards Film Nagar.

Abhinav Sunkara, who runs an advertising and branding firm in Secunderabad, said he booked an Uber cab (AP 28 VA 0026) on Wednesday afternoon to take him and his friend from Karkhana, Secunderabad to Film Nagar. According to Abhinav, the cab driver responded rudely and even started abusing them when they tried to explain to him the route to Film Nagar.

“When I told the driver to talk to my female friend properly, he stopped the vehicle near Parade Grounds and asked us to get off. I then protested saying that he will not be paid any money if he forces us to disembark midway,” Abhinav added.

According to the complainant, the cab driver then punched him twice on the side of his face and took out a wrench from the boot. “He threatened to attack me with the wrench if I did not pay him. To avoid a confrontation, I gave him Rs 100 and let him go, though the bill amount was only Rs 60,” Abhinav further said.

Later, Abhinav lodged a complaint with Begumpet police against the driver. “We have received a complaint from Abhinav Sunkara against the Uber cab driver and are enquiring into it. No FIR has been registered yet,” Begumpet inspector G Baswa Reddy said.

On Thursday morning, Begumpet police called the offender and asked him to appear at the police station for enquiry. Subsequently, he switched off his phone. Police also found that the car was not registered on Ahmed’s name. Later, Abhinav reported the incident to Uber. “A representative of Uber got back to me saying that the said driver was suspended,” he added.

