Townhall Times, New Delhi
Reporter: Bhavika Kalra
It happened in the dead of night. A bike taxi driver—someone just trying to make an extra few hundred bucks during the late-shift surge—accepted a ride request. He didn’t know he was driving into a trap.
1. The Trap: Posing as Passengers
Police believe the attackers were “professional” in their approach. This wasn’t a random street brawl. The three men likely used a fake profile or simply flagged the driver down in a dark, isolated stretch.
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The Location: These guys picked their spot perfectly—a road where the streetlights are either broken or non-existent, and there’s zero-foot traffic after midnight.
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The Attack: They didn’t just ask for his wallet. When the driver resisted, they didn’t hesitate. He was stabbed multiple times. While he lay bleeding on the asphalt, they took everything: his motorcycle, his phone, and whatever cash he had earned that night.
2. Left for Dead
The most chilling part? The suspects didn’t just rob him; they left him there. It was only thanks to a late-night commuter who spotted him on the roadside that the police were even called. He’s currently in a local hospital. Doctors say he’s “out of danger” for now, but the psychological trauma of being stabbed by people you thought were your customers? That’s not going away.
3. The Manhunt: Noida Police vs. The ‘Ghost’ Gang
The Noida Police are under massive pressure today. This kind of crime is a PR nightmare for a city trying to attract global investment.
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CCTV Scanning: Police teams are currently scanning the “Yellow Line” and “Aqua Line” corridor cameras. They are trying to trace the path of the stolen bike.
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The Digital Trail: Since most ride-hailing is digital, the police are working with the app company to see which account booked the ride. But let’s be real—these guys likely used a burner phone or a stolen account.
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The Charges: This isn’t just robbery. The FIR is being filed under Section 307 (Attempt to Murder) and Section 394 (Voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery). If caught, these guys aren’t coming out of jail for a long, long time.
4. Gig Workers are Furious
If you talk to any Zomato, Swiggy, or Uber Moto driver in Noida today, they are terrified.
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The Vulnerability: These workers have no protection. They go into dark alleys and remote sectors every night.
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The Demand: There’s a growing demand among the driver community for a “SOS/Panic Button” that actually works and alerts the nearest PCR van immediately. They are also asking for “Red Zones”—areas where rides shouldn’t be allowed after 10 PM without a police check-post nearby.
5. The Bigger Picture: Is Noida Safe at Night?
This incident has reopened the debate about Noida’s “dark spots.” While the main sectors are well-lit, the developing sectors (like Sector 140+ or the outskirts near the Expressway) are often pitch black.
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The Pattern: This isn’t the first time. Gangs in the NCR often target lone bikers because the vehicle is easy to sell in the “grey market” and easy to hide in the rural pockets of UP and Haryana.
The Bottom Line (Feb 18, 2026)
The Noida Police have promised a “swift arrest,” but for the thousands of bike taxi drivers heading out for their shift tonight, that promise feels thin. They know that in the dark corners of the city, they are on their own.
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