CHINA TRANSPORTATION
Ride-hailing firm halts service after passenger killed
Beijing — China’s largest ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing is suspending its Hitch services nationwide, the company said on Sunday, a day after police said a ride-sharing passenger in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou was raped and killed by a driver. Didi Chuxing said it was sorry that the carpool service would be suspended from Monday due to "disappointing mistakes" while the company re-evaluates the product’s business model. The suspected murder of a 20-year-old woman, who Wenzhou police identified only by the surname Zhao, is the latest in a series of violent crimes that have fuelled safety concerns about the service. Zhao got into a Hitch carpool vehicle at 1pm local time on Friday and sent a message to a friend at about 2pm seeking help before losing contact, according to a local police statement. A driver named Zhong was detained on Saturday and confessed to raping and killing the passenger, the local police statement said, adding that the victim’s body had been recovered and...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.