THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
A taxi driver was injured after he was reportedly attacked with a knife by a passenger in Sirsaim on Monday morning, over a suspected dispute over the fare.
Colvale police has arrested Lenny Peter Simoes (60) in this connection.
According to reports, the incident took place at about 8.45 am near the panchayat house in Sirsaim.
Simoes had gone to the Mapusa taxi stand and had engaged the taxi driven by Subhash Sawant, to take him to Assonora in his taxi and the fare for this journey was fixed at Rs 900.
When the car reached the Sirsaim Panchayat office, the accused stopped the car on the pretext that one person would join him.
The accused, who was seated behind in the car, then allegedly attacked the driver with a knife and when the driver turned behind, the accused is also alleged to have punched him on the forehead.
The driver managed to free himself from the grip of the accused before falling on the road.
Some motorists came to his aid and freed him from the clutches of the suspect. They reportedly heard him threatening the taxi driver for hiking the fare.
The Colvale police was notified and a police team rushed to the spot. The accused was detained, while the injured driver was moved to the Mapusa District Hospital for treatment, before being sent home.
Simoes was later arrested under Sections 326 and 506(2) of IPC and PSI Subhash Gaonkar is conducting further investigation.
