A private hire driver from Dudley, Birmingham, was seriously attacked after picking up a distressed passenger in Kingswinford. Ishfaq Hussain arrived to collect his passenger at around 10:30pm on the 8th of July, completely unaware that his night was about to take a drastic turn for the worse.
Knocked Out
“He remembers the first punch but from then on it’s a blur.”
Shaz Saleem, chairman of Dudley Private Hire & Taxi Association, spoke on behalf of Ishfaq. He explained that a female passenger “dived” into Ishfaq’s cab and demanded that he drove away quickly shouting “move, move, just get out of here before he comes.”.
Mr Saleem continued: “Ishfaq was parked in an awkward position so he reversed a little but this is when a man came out and hit the bonnet. He then proceeded to open the driver’s door and said, “Where do you think you’re going?” The woman was screaming at him and he remembers the first punch but from then on it’s a blur.”
Extensive Injuries
By the time Ishfaq regained consciousness he was surrounded by other drivers who had spotted the incident and called the police and ambulance services. Ishfaq was taken to Russells Hall Hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. After taking a major blow to his eye he’s currently undergoing tests to determine the extent of the damage. The 38-year-old father of four is concerned that he may lose his sight, forcing him to give up his job.
Police Investigation
A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “Police were alerted at around 10.30pm on the 8th of July to an assault on a taxi driver in Kidderminster Road, Kingswinford. It’s understood a woman was trying to leave the scene of a domestic argument and when her partner tried to pull her from the taxi a fight broke out between the man and the driver. Enquiries are underway to trace the offender.”
Mr Saleem added: “Ishfaq is a young father and we’re concerned about his livelihood, he’s got kids to feed and a house to mortgage. We’ll corporate with the police investigation as much as possible.”
If you are able to assist with the investigation then please get in touch with West Midlands Police on 101.