Didi Suspends Carpooling Service After Passenger Is Killed

(Bloomberg) -- Didi Chuxing, China’s biggest ride-hailing startup, will suspend its carpooling service for a week, citing an incident in the central city of Zhengzhou.

The company will review operations of the Didi Hitch service from May 12, Didi said on its microblog. State media outlet CCTV has reported that a driver on the platform is suspected of killing a passenger in Zhengzhou, triggering a public outcry.

While Didi didn’t mention the murder on its microblog, the company said the incident involved a driver who used his father’s Didi account to pick up the passenger. The company will also conduct checks on drivers for its other platforms.

Didi’s Hitch enables private drivers to pick up passengers who are headed to similar destinations.

To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Fenner in Hong Kong at rfenner@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan

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