Mumbai’s streets continue to witness rising criminal audacity. In a shocking incident reported from the Masjid Bunder area, an Ola taxi driver was allegedly kidnapped and robbed by four unidentified miscreants on the pretext of a minor collision. The accused reportedly forced the driver into his own car and took him to a deserted lane in Dongri, where they looted him of cash and a mobile phone.
Based on the victim’s complaint, the Pydhonie Police have registered a case and launched a search for the accused. Police teams are scanning CCTV footage from the spot of the incident and nearby areas to identify and trace the culprits.
According to Pydhonie Police, the victim has been identified as Manzur Ali Mansoor Ali Ansari (53), a resident of Bhiwandi and an Ola-affiliated taxi driver. The incident occurred on January 11, 2026, at around 4 pm. Ansari had dropped a passenger in Mumbai Central after coming from Belapur and was taking a U-turn near Masjid Bunder while heading for his next booking to the airport.
At that moment, two youths riding a motorcycle allegedly accused him of deliberately hitting their bike and began abusing him. It is alleged that one of the accused threatened the driver by claiming he would take him to the police station and forcibly sat inside his car. The driver was then intimidated and taken in his own vehicle to Thana Street in the Dongri area, where two more accomplices joined them.
In a deserted lane, all four accused allegedly surrounded the driver, abused him, threatened to kill him, and carried out the robbery during the kidnapping. The accused snatched ₹1,200 in cash from the shirt pocket of the driver and his mobile phone, valued at around ₹6,000. The terrified driver raised an alarm for help, but no one came forward. The accused then fled the spot.
Regaining his composure, the victim drove to the Pydhonie Police Station and lodged a complaint. Treating the matter as a serious case of kidnapping and robbery, police have registered an offence against unknown persons. Further investigation is underway and efforts are on to trace the accused.