Cabbie punched in the head and robbed by passenger while driving along motorway

Lancashire Police have appealed for witnesses following an alleged assault on a Darwen cab driver. The alleged incident took place around 3pm on Tuesday 17 September, while the cab was travelling along the M65 close to Whitebirk.

Cabbie Mohammed Arif picked up two men from a pub in the town centre and began to head to their desired destination in Accrington. Whilst halfway down the M65, it is alleged that one of the passengers started punching Mr Arif in the back of the head. Asif was able to safely pull the vehicle over onto the hard shoulder to avoid a crash, but was then set upon again - this time punched and grabbed by the throat. As reported in the Lancashire Telegraph, Mr Arif said: “I got hit in the back of the head and stopped the car and one man got out and we had words and he grabbed me and then he ran off. “The other man, he was saying it was nothing to do with him so I let him stay in the cab if he promised to behave." He added when he dropped the second man off, he realised his money had been stolen, guessing it must have happened whilst he was out of his vehicle on the hard shoulder. Mr Arif said there was about £80 in total taken during the alleged incident which has since left him traumatised. A spokesperson for the police said: “A taxi driver had been assaulted while driving on the motorway. One of the men has made off on the motorway while the other had been dropped off in the Blackburn area. “The driver was punched and had his throat grabbed. The assault is still under investigation. "The incident took place around 3pm on Tuesday September 17. Anyone with any information that could help the police should call 101 quoting log number 0819 of September 17." 

Image: Source; Flickr 

Image; Author; West Midlands Police