A vicious Sunday morning attack on a cab driver in a southeast neighbourhood has the victim pleading for increased protection for drivers.
40-year-old Kuldip Mangat was dispatched to a fare when five passengers attempted to enter his Calgary United Cabs car. Mangat refused to transport the group saying the number of passengers exceeded safety regulations.
The cab driver exited his vehicle and fell to the ground while attempting to make his way across a patch of the ice.
The angry passengers jumped on Mangat in his moment of weakness and proceeded to strike the defenseless man.
“They started punching and kicking on my head,” recollects Mangat. “Then they got tired of it and they tried to step on my phone on the ground so I can’t contact police.”
An injured Mangat made his way to a nearby home where he received help.
Police arrested two people in connection to the attack. The unidentified suspects face assault charges.
The attack has prompted Mangat, a married man with three children, to leave the taxi business.
“I am not going to drive again. It’s too dangerous.”
Mangat believes a shield separating drivers and passengers would be a positive step in reducing assaults, but admits the safety device would not have helped in Sunday’s attack which occurred outside of the vehicle.
Rupinder Gill, the owner of Calgary United Cabs, plans to approach city council with a request to tighten safety measures in taxis. Gill says current measures do not assist in preventing attacks, they assist in locating offenders after an attack occurs.
"We've got cameras but someone can kill you," said Gill. "It doesn't save, you have his picture taken. Shields are better."
