SAMBALPUR: An ambulance driver held a patient and his kin hostage at Raj Khariar in Nuapada district after the latter failed to pay his fare on time. Thirty-year-old Dargeswar Majhi of Khariar block was admitted to VIMSAR, Burla on April 15 for treatment of spinal tuberculosis. After being discharged, he hired a private ambulance on Sunday to drop him, his wife and five-year-old son at his hometown. "The driver agreed to drop us home for `5,200. I paid him `1,600 in advance and assured to pay the balance once we reached home," Majhi said. 

On reaching Khariar, Majhi asked the driver to wait so that he could arrange the money. The driver was enraged and forced Majhi along with his family to board the ambulance and brought them back to Burla. He locked them in the vehicle and left. After around four hours, the driver came back and took them to another deserted place. Majhi and his family were rescued by a few locals on the wee hours of Monday. Burla IIC BB Bhoi said the driver is yet to be identified and the matter is under investigation.