When BPO cabbies turn robbers

BANGALORE: Stress management, reiki and behavioural training have not been able to make much headway with Bangalore’s BPO cabbies, who continue to be a menace in the city.

A gang of six call centre drivers who looted people under the pretext of giving them a lift, was arrested by Bangalore police on Wednesday. “The robberies started only two-and-a-half months ago,” said police inspector of KR Puram police station MP Lokesh, who cracked the case.

The robbers used three Tata Sumos during weekends to carry out their robberies. “They would usually look out for people waiting at bus stops after 10.30 pm and offer to drop them in ones or twos. The desperate ones would take the offer, thus becoming their victims. The driver would then take his victim to a dark lane and rob them of their belongings,” said Lokesh.

The cabbies have confessed to have carried out 14 robberies. However, the police have registered only eight cases so far according to the evidence available. “We are yet to trace the evidence for the other cases and will file the first information report accordingly,” he said. The police have recovered 11 mobile phones, three four-wheelers, Rs10,000 in cash and other valuables from the culprits.

The drivers, who otherwise ferried employees of Hewlett-Packard’s BPO, were employed with SRS Travels. It is believed to be the first such incident involving the company, which provides cabs to 70 IT/BPO companies across India.

k_bhargavi@dnaindia.net