Taxi driver dies in knife attack

An Asian taxi driver has been stabbed to death in a frenzied attack by a passenger who then tried to burn his victim's body by setting fire to the car.

Sarfraz Khan, 30, suffered six stab wounds as he tried to fend off the killer who then plunged a five-inch hunting knife through his heart.

Mr Khan's body was discovered after a milkman noticed the smouldering white Ford Mondeo in a car park at an isolated nature reserve in Thorpe Hesley, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, at 0220GMT on Saturday morning.

He had only been working for the A1 taxi company for eight days.

Sarfraz Khan's body was discovered by a milkman

Detective Superintendent Phil Jones, who is heading the murder inquiry, said Mr Khan had picked up either one or two people from Thorpe Hesley Junior and Infants School.

He was responding to a telephone call from a man who asked to be taken to Kimberworth.

But Mr Khan drove to the nature reserve several miles away.

"He was probably being threatened," said Mr Jones.

"It is an isolated location and one which you do not simply come across by chance.

"We don't know what the person or persons did after the attack - it would be feasible for them to have walked away but far easier if they had another vehicle.

'Racist attack'

Mr Jones said it was a horrific attack.

"I am considering a racist attack and I am also considering the motive was robbery," he said.

Mr Khan, who was separated from his wife and lived in Rotherham with his sister and brother-in-law, had not worked for A1 for long but had been employed by other taxi companies in the area, Mr Jones added.

Another taxi driver was stabbed in a robbery in Rotherham several weeks ago.

Taxi drivers in Rotherham are concerned about their own safety and I'm sure that many of them are in fear

Detective Superintendent Phil Jones

But Mr Jones said the two attacks were not being linked.

"Obviously taxi drivers in Rotherham are concerned about their own safety and I'm sure that many of them are in fear.

"But these offences do not happen very often and hopefully we will not get another one.

"I would say to taxi drivers just continue driving."

An incident room has been set up in Rotherham and 30 officers are working on the inquiry.

The car was taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Wetherby for examination.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "This is a brutal killing because of the nature of the stabbings but even more appalling when you realise that the killer then decided to try and burn the victim by setting the car on fire."