Cab with colonel’s son takes detour on way to school, picks up stranger
Times of India | 21 September 2025The accused was driving her son to school from her south Kolkata residence on Friday morning.
The officer alleged that the driver took a detour that was far from route to the school located along EM Bypass. She claimed that the driver had picked up a second person. According to the complainant, when she learnt of the deviation from her son, she contacted the ride-hailing aggreagator's safety team, who then attempted to contact the driver but failed.
She said the driver, realising that cops may have been alerted, panicked and dropped him near the school.
The Hastings Police registered a case under BNS 140 (3) pertaining to kidnapping or abduction, 62 pertaining to punishment for attempting to commit offences that are punishable, and 3 (5) (common intention).
"We received a complaint involving an app-cab driver that raised concerns over the safety of minors using ride-hailing services.
The minor was reported to have been nearly kidnapped by a driver while en route to school from his residence on Friday. The incident occurred around 8.30 am when the child's parents booked a ride through the app. According to the parent, while tracking the ride on the app, it was observed that the driver deviated from the intended route and had driven several kilometres past the school.
The minor, realising the deviation, panicked and immediately contacted the parent and informed them of the situation," said an officer.
"It is shocking that an unknown person was allowed into the cab that was carrying my son. This raised suspicion of the intent to kidnap. Only after repeated calls from the app aggregators did the driver finally drop my child near the school at 8.50 am, half an hour late," the mother wrote in her complaint.
The parent has called for driver's arrest and a thorough probe.
Police said the app-cab aggregator had been contacted for a statement regarding the incident. The company is yet to release an official response, but police said they have been cooperating with the investigation. "We have served a notice to the driver to come to the police station to explain the sequence of events," said an officer.
Lalbazar has urged parents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. Cops have also requested the public to provide any information that could assist in the investigation.
