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Ola Driver Takes Outstation Trip, Reported Dead; Family Cries Foul

Family of Ola Driver who was allegedly murdered accused the UP police of not taking action in time.

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Forty-year-old Mohammed Yusuf, an Ola driver from Delhi’s Sarai Khalil area, was allegedly murdered in Mathura while ferrying a passenger to Rajasthan. The family also alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police did not lay him to rest and cremated him instead.

“He called us and said that he was on an outstation ride duty and would return home in a few hours, but never did.”
Atyabee, Yusuf’s sister

Yusuf left for work on the morning of 9 August. His wife, Salma, says he was in constant touch with her that night. They last spoke at around midnight, after which Yusuf’s phone was unreachable and later switched off.

Family of  Ola Driver who was allegedly murdered accused the UP police of not taking action in time.
Mohammed Yusuf, 40.
(Photo: Srishti Tyagi/The Quint)
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On 10 August, the family filed a complaint with North Delhi’s Sadar Bazar police station.

“Initially, the police said that they cannot register an FIR unless it’s been 24 hours since a person went missing.”
Atyabee, Yusuf’s sister

The FIR was only filed on 14 August. Meanwhile, a number of developments took shape.

On 10 August, Yusuf’s neighbours went to the Ola office in Gurgaon to enquire, where they were told that Yusuf’s trip was not completed as per records, but both the customer and the driver could not be reached on their phones.

When The Quint reached out to Ola, they confirmed that Yusuf had been working for the company since 2015 and that he accepted a ride to Rajasthan from Delhi at 6 pm on 9 August. They also mentioned that it would have taken him five hours to reach the destination.

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“We are saddened by the incident which took place with one of our driver partners. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. We are in constant touch with the police and are extending full assistance that may be required in the on-going investigation.”
Ola Spokesperson to The Quint
Family of  Ola Driver who was allegedly murdered accused the UP police of not taking action in time.
Yusuf had been working with Ola since 2015.
(Photo: Srishti Tyagi/The Quint)

On 11 August, Uttar Pradesh Police informed the Delhi Police about an abandoned car – registered in Delhi – that they found near Achhnera town, in Agra district.

Delhi police relayed the information to Yusuf’s family the same day, but kept delaying their visit to Achhnera to probe the matter. After waiting two days, the family was told that the police was occupied with duties for Independence Day celebrations and that the investigation had to wait, but Yusuf’s kin were reluctant to wait any further and left for Achhnera on 13 August.

On reaching Achhnera and searching the car, they found a Faridabad toll slip. Some of the locals they spoke to said an unidentified body was recovered from a water body in Mathura’s Ol village – 20 kms from Achhnera.

Based on the lead, the family approached Ol police and were informed of an unidentified body that was found on 10 August at 7:35 am.

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The Ol Police showed them Yusuf’s picture. He had injuries on his head and neck and his hands were tied with rope.

The police told them that they sent the body for cremation at 2.30 pm on 13 August. They said that they could not have waited for more than 72 hours and that the body had to be cremated eventually.

“The police was very much aware of the fact that Yusuf was a Muslim (referring to circumcision). How will his soul rest in peace?”
Atyabee, Yusuf’s sister

After Yusuf’s family reached the location where he was cremated, they were handed his ashes in an earthen pot.

Family of  Ola Driver who was allegedly murdered accused the UP police of not taking action in time.
We are not sure if these are Yusuf’s remains: Family
(Photo: The Quint/ Srishti)
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The family is also not very sure that the ashes that they got are Yusuf’s.

“How do I know if the ashes are my brother’s? What’s the proof?”
Atyabee, Yusuf’s sister

The family accuses the Uttar Pradesh Police of making no effort to ascertain Yusuf’s identity and of depriving them of their right to conduct the last rites as per Islamic tradition.

The Ol police say that they had no idea about his religious identity. Investigating officer and Ol police chowki in-charge, Vipin Bhati, said that they found Yusuf's body at 7:30 am on 10 August (and not 7:35 am as mentioned earlier) and cremated him at 2:35 pm on 13 August, after keeping the body for 72 hours.

Bhati claims that they got a photo of Yusuf’s published in the local newspapers for identification for three consecutive days. Howeve, he could not show The Quint any proof of it.

The only information published in a local newspaper Amar Ujala was of an unidentified body that had been found by the police.

Family of  Ola Driver who was allegedly murdered accused the UP police of not taking action in time.
Screenshot from Amar Ujala edition,11 August

The Uttar Pradesh police say the investigation is underway and that those responsible for the crime would be held responsible.

Meanwhile, Yusuf’s family still awaits his post-mortem report.

(This is a developing story.)

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Topics:  Delhi   Delhi Police   Agra 

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