Authorities take action after taxi driver ejects passengers mid-trip

Police say they are taking necessary action “in accordance with applicable regulations” after a taxi driver ejected passengers mid-trip, following a disagreement.

The incident in question took place in Hulhumale’ on Friday.

The passenger, who said she hailed the taxi from Hulhumale’ to return to Male’ City with her child, after the latter’s swimming competition, shared the experience in a post on X.

ގައުމުގައި ޓެކްސީ ޚިދުމަތުގައި އުޅޭ ބައެއް ފަރާތްތަށް މިންކޮށްލުމަށް މިއަދު ތަޖުރިބާ ކުރެވުނު ވަރަށް ނާ ތަހުޒީބު ޢަމަލެއް ހިއްސާކޮށްލާނަމެވެ.

ހުޅުމާލޭގަ އޮތް ދަރިފުޅުގެ ފެތުމުގެ މުބާރާތެއް ނިންމާފަ، މާލެ އައުމަށް ޓެކްސީ ދަތުރެއް ނެގީމެވެ. ޓެކްސީއަށް އެރުވުމަށްފަހު… pic.twitter.com/I6BHrZPbeO

— WeStand United (@USR_MV) May 17, 2024

According to her, the taxi driver engaged in “unnecessary chatter which escalated into indecent comments.”

The driver then asked if it was alright to take on an additional passenger.

“But I told him that the passenger should only be charged from where I get off. I told him I was fine if he agrees to that. But he refused, and said it was between him and the passenger, and began to grow angry,” she wrote.

The passenger said that in an angry fit, the taxi driver drove them around Hulhumale’ and back to where he picked them up from.

According to her, the driver told her that he had “no other choice to but to drop you off where I picked you up from no matter if you call me a bad person or even kill me.”

Responding to the post, Superintendent Ahmed Shifan, the chief police spokesperson, wrote on Saturday afternoon that the incident was investigated by the Hulhumale’ Police Station.

He added that the police are “taking the necessary action in accordance with applicable regulations.”

The incident sparked public condemnation, with many taking to social media to share their own bad experiences with taxi drivers.