HYDERABAD: A late-night trip booked through a street hire turned costly for a 26-year-old cab driver after a passenger allegedly drove away with his rented car in Medipally on Saturday night.
According to police, the complainant, Ch Bhanu Prabhu, a resident of Nalgonda, had rented a CNG car to operate as a taxi. At around 11.55 pm on June 20, while waiting for passengers at Uppal Chowrasta, he was approached by an unidentified man who hired the vehicle for a trip to Chengicherla for Rs 450.
As the vehicle reached Medipally village, the passenger allegedly complained of severe leg pain and asked the driver to buy him a cigarette from a nearby pan shop. Trusting the passenger, Bhanu Prabhu parked the vehicle and stepped out to make the purchase.
Police said the suspect seized the opportunity, got behind the wheel and sped away with the car. The driver immediately chased the vehicle but was unable to catch up or trace it.
The stolen vehicle is estimated to be worth Rs 2.8 lakh. Based on the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the vehicle and identify the suspect.