Indian taxi driver attacked in UK

An Indian-origin taxi driver in east Midland’s town of Leicester has suffered injuries and lost his vehicle during an unprovoked attack by two passengers while he was dropping them off at night.

Bharat Upadhay, 48, who has been driving the taxi for the last four months, said he suffered cuts and bruises to his face and neck after a man and a woman attacked him as he dropped them off in Braunstone Frith, Leicester on Saturday.

“The man asked me to stop and I had just told him how much the fare was when suddenly I felt a rope around my neck.

He held the rope so tight I thought I was suffocating. Then the woman pulled out a knife and tried to stab me,” Upadhyay, who feared for his life during the attack, said, adding he was terrified.

“I thought I was going to die. It was really scary but I need this job as it is my bread and butter. I am worried about going out at night again after what happened,” he said.

Reports from Leicester said Upadhay had managed to free himself from the rope but the man then grabbed him, holding his head against the head rest while the woman began punching his head and face.

He eventually slipped free of the man’s grip and got out of the car. But he was again confronted and forced to hand over his wallet before he was able to run off. When he returned to the scene, he said his taxi had disappeared.

Upadhay said “Taxi drivers were attacked too often and something needs to be done. I was lucky this time.”