Sikh taxi driver in Reading attacked by four passengers

Vaneet Singh said it was "really frightening"

A Sikh taxi driver was attacked in his car as he drove four passengers home from a casino.

Vaneet Singh said the men slapped and shoved him as he drove along the A33 after collecting them from the Grosvenor Casino in Reading on Saturday night.

The 41-year-old said one of the men tried to remove his turban and asked him: "Are you Taliban?"

Police investigating the incident said no arrests have been made.

Mr Singh, who lives in Tilehurst with his wife and three young children, said he had started working as a taxi driver because the coronavirus pandemic had stalled his job teaching music to children in Slough.

He said: "It was horrible, really frightening, I will never work the nightshift again. I'm still very scared."

Mr Singh said the person in the middle of the back of the car pulled his turban as he was driving and slapped him on the head, while others kicked and punched the back of his driver's seat.

He said the passengers were well behaved at the start of the journey but "totally changed" as it went on.

"It's very bad experience. It's my religion so I respect my turban," he said.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said the force was investigating a report of assault and appealed for witnesses.