Mysore/Mysuru: Customers, who had hired a taxi from Mysuru to Tumakuru, allegedly stabbed the car driver after taking the car to deserted place and have fled with the car.

The injured taxi driver, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in city, is 46-year-old Rudraswamy, a resident of 5th Cross in Gandhinagar.

On Monday at about 1.30 am, Rudraswamy was talking with his friends near FTS Circle when two persons approached him and told him that they had to go to Tumakuru urgently and asked Rudraswamy to take them besides offering him the rent for the car. Believing them, Rudraswamy took them in his Toyota Etios car (KA-09-C-2358) and when they reached Mandya, the customers got the car filled with diesel and later told Rudraswamy to proceed towards Kestur near Mandya. When Rudraswamy was proceeding on a deserted road, the two customers, threw chilli powder to the eyes of Rudraswamy, stabbed him near his chest, threw him out and sped away with the car.

Meanwhile, passersby, who noticed Rudraswamy lying in a pool of blood and writhing in pain at about 3 am, informed Mandya Police Control Room. Kestur Police, who rushed to the spot, immediately shifted Rudraswamy to Mandya General Hospital, where he was provided first-aid.

The Police then informed the relatives of Rudraswamy, summoned them to Mandya. Kestur Police, who have registered a case are investigating.

Kestur Police, with the help of NR Police, have obtained CCTV footages from cameras installed in the vicinity of the spot from where the miscreants hired the taxi, petrol bunk where the miscreants got the car filled with diesel and from cameras installed on Kestur Road.

Meanwhile, a relative of Rudraswamy said that the injured Rudraswamy has been admitted to a private hospital in city and a surgery was performed on him yesterday.