New drivers flee with cars to Lucknow, Gaya

Time of India

2 days ago

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Kolkata: Be careful before handing over your car to a driver based on some random online searches. Cops insist that if possible, hire the driver from a reputed agency and ensure you have enough documents ready.
At least two cases have been reported from south Kolkata where a gang, responding to online queries, is masquerading as drivers and stealing vehicles to then sell them off in UP and Bihar.
Raju Singh, who recently purchased a car through a loan, hired Mohit Kumaras a full-time driver through the website "Work India". Kumar was employed by the Singh family since May 29, charging Rs 500 for six hours of daily service.
On May 3, around 10.30 am, Kumar picked up Singh, along with his mother and wife, from their Haridevpur residence and dropped the family near a momo shop on Sarat Bose Road and drove away, claiming there was no parking available nearby.
After multiple failed attempts to contact the driver, the family discovered that the car's GPS system was disabled, making it difficult to track the vehicle's location. The car was later traced to the Asansol area by the police. Within hours, the next location was found to be Lucknow.
This incident follows a similar case where the Kasba police station recently arrested four individuals for a comparable scheme. In that case, Somnath Mukherjee rented a car through an app-based service from owner Pravesh Kothari before disappearing with the vehicle.
The police successfully tracked the car to Durgapur Expressway near Memari, where they apprehended four suspects who had initially taken the car to Gaya.
"People who rely on internet platforms to hire drivers often compromise their security," said a cop. "While hiring drivers provides convenience for non-drivers, the lack of proper verification systems on these platforms poses significant risks," he added.