Three unidentified men fled with a taxi in Gurdaspur. (File Photo)
Three unidentified men made away with a taxi after thrashing its driver near Aujla village in Gurdaspur, prompting police to sound an alert in the neighbouring areas.
The incident took place when the driver, Pardip Saini (40), was on his way to Pathankot after dropping a passenger in Amritsar via Gurdaspur bypass on Saturday night.
"When he reached Babbri bypass near Aujla village at about 10:15 PM on Saturday, a MUV (multi-ultility vehicle) stopped in front of his car. Three men, who were drunk, thrashed Mr Saini with a stick after accusing him of hitting their vehicle," said Jagdeep Singh Hundal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Gurdaspur.
They then pushed him outside and snatched the key of his white car, bearing a Punjab registration number, and took away his vehicle along with the MUV, Mr Saini said in his complaint.
The assailants were speaking in Punjabi, the police officer said, adding, the MUV, bearing a Punjab registration number, had an 'On Duty' sticker pasted on it.
The men then abandoned the car at Dostpur village falling in Kalanaur area of Gurdaspur, about 1.5 to 2 km from the crime scene, police said.
Police have traced the MUV and identified its owner as Gurdev Singh, resident of Bhuchar Khurd in Tarn Taran district.
"They will soon be arrested," Mr Hundal said.
The SSP said police has sounded an alert in Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot and Hoshiarpur districts to trace the assailants.
A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at police station Tibber in this regard.