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Police Seek Pedicab Driver After Vicious Central Park Attack

By DNAinfo Staff on July 19, 2011 6:22am  | Updated on July 19, 2011 11:27am

Firdaus Nazarov is wanted by the NYPD in connection to an attack in Central Park in June.
Firdaus Nazarov is wanted by the NYPD in connection to an attack in Central Park in June.
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NYPD

By John Doyle

Special to DNAinfo

CENTRAL PARK — A Tajikistan-born pedicab driver unleashed a Central Park attack on two fellow pedallers that was so vicious it left one of his victim's unconscious, police said.

Firdaus Nazarov, 23, and three other pedicab drivers allegedly attacked two fellow bike hacks inside the park on Center Drive, near Central Park South, at about 10 p.m. June 4, said police.

Nazarov and his three pals allegedly wanted to settle a preexisting beef with the other two men, a pair of cousins who hail from Kazakhstan, police said.

The talks devolved into a brawl, with Nazarov's gang allegedly hitting the men in the back of the head and kicking them both down a flight of stairs, police said.

Firdaus Nazarov pictured next to a giant teddy bear, is being sought by the NYPD
Firdaus Nazarov pictured next to a giant teddy bear, is being sought by the NYPD
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NYPD

One of the victims, 25, suffered a broken nose, a chipped tooth and a fractured eye socket that could leave him permanently blind in one eye, according to court papers. He was beaten so badly that he was knocked unconscious and later told cops he doesn't even remember the attack.

"It was a pre-existing argument and they met in Central Park to settle it," said one law enforcement source. "I don't know if it was to fight or settle it peacefully."

The other victim, 19, escaped with just a bloody nose and cuts and bruises to his face.
The victims live together in Brooklyn.

Cops caught up with one of the attackers, Russian-born pedicab driver Furkat Abidov, 32, days later in Chinatown. He has been charged with gang assault. He remains behind bars, unable to post the $5,000 cash bail, authorities said.

Police are still searching for Nazarov and two other men. They have circulated a wanted poster of Nazarov, who is known to work as a pedicab driver in and around the park.

It contains two photos of him. One shows Nazarov with a menacing grimace and a baseball bat slung over his shoulder.

Bizarrely, the second picture shows him posing with a huge brown teddy bear in the passenger seat of a pedicab.

The poster also carries a warning, in bold red print: "Caution, perpetrator may be a kick boxer."

Anyone with tips is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.