Sure by now, atleast a 100 of Uber Rides taken until the ordeal below, would never want “anybody” to step in to an Uber vehicle, ever again…………
An Uber driver blatantly denies having a passenger cell phone in the vehicle, disconnects calls made to him, on the contrary lands up in the police station saying calls received (& troubled) for no phone held by him, calls up next morning informing phone found, offers money (INR 100/-) saying “sambhal lena”
Request Uber India to have this looked in to immediately and share a written reply asap.
Travel Location: From Wockhardt Hospital to Mahim East, Shahu Nagar, Next to Shahu Nagar Police Station.
Travel Members: Self, 2 year old kid, Wife, Mom.
Background: After consulting wife, with Dr. Rahul Chakor @ Wockhardt Hospital, the above Uber taken (7.22pm) booked from my wife’s phone (details can be shared when asked). My cell phone kept on the dashboard and seated at the front seat with my 2 year old kid, Mom and Wife on the rear seat.
The Incident:
I get down 5 mins earlier (8.15pm) from the drop location (Shahu Nagar) for prayers, 10 mins after, realise, to have kept the phone on the Dashboard. (Phone borrowed from a 3rd person at the mosque for an SOS call to wife, asking her to call the driver and request him to handover the cell phone).
Within 7 mins of getting dropped at destination location (drop@ 8.26pm), Attempts made by wife since 8.33 pm, he answers the call on the 5th Attempt at 8.37pm only to deny having any phone in the vehicle. Quote ” Madam yahan par koi phone nahin rakkha hai, abhi main busy hun dusre pick up ke liye baar baar phone mat karo”
Multiple attempts (on the driver number) then made by 3 more family members (younger sister, brother) however phone not answered whatsoever.
Being a part of Telco, checked on the last location of the device which was Kala Nagar.
1. Shahu Nagar Police Station:
Officials, the Inspector on duty Mr. Vishal Asarkar was kind enough to issue a missing complaint certificate and take the driver details for tracking.
While multiple attempts (more than 80 calls) to reach out to the driver were made, even at the Shahu Nagar police station, his call was answered only at 10.03pm saying we need to come to the Agripada Police Station since we made multiple calls to handover the phone.
2. Agripada Police Station:
The entire incident narrated to API Khandelwal who gracefully said if the 2nd pick up was from Bandra Kala Nagar, the phone has to be in the vehicle. That we needn’t speak to him and let him interact directly with Shahu Nagar Police station.
After coming out of the police station, he offered to check the vehicle for the phone, we did and nowhere did we find traces of the device.
Breakthrough:
5-Oct morning, 7.56am a call made from him “claiming” the cell phone has been found and that we can collect from him.
Rushed to Bombay central to collect it only to find the cell phone on “flight mode”
(Uber India, how can the phone go on flight mode if it was merely fallen in the vehicle.)
where he handsover a 100 rupee note and says “Aapka badha ka kharcha, sab sambhal lena”
Relevant screenshots of calls made/received shall be provided, if required.
Trip Details:
Vehicle Name: Tata Indigo.
Number: MH-01-BT 7732.
Driver Name: Mahendra Kumar.
Number: 7738108584
Date: 4 Oct
Pick up time: 7.22pm
Drop time: 8:26pm