Cabbie held for biting tongue of passenger who licked him

A taxi driver was arrested for biting the tongue of a passenger during a dispute at a taxi rank in Tsim Sha Tsui, police said yesterday.

Police also arrested the injured passenger, 35, on suspicion of common assault in the case and are investigating whether he was drunk at the time of the incident.

The 53-year-old driver was at the front of the queue at a cross-harbour taxi rank in Observatory Road shortly after midnight when the man got into the taxi asked the driver to take him to a destination in Kowloon.

An argument ensued after the driver insisted he would accept only fares to Hong Kong Island. During the dispute, the two got out of the vehicle, police said.

'The passenger was accused of licking the driver, who bit his tongue. A report was made to police,' a police officer said.

The passenger was treated by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.