After hours of online shopping and endless wedding preparations, you’d think someone would hold on to their fantasy saree. But in a shocking turn of events, some riders in India did forget even that — and a gold biscuit — during an Uber ride. Based on the ride-hailing giant’s Lost & Found Index 2024, some absolutely jaw-dropping items were left behind by forgetful riders this year.

More Than Just Wallets and Keys

Although it’s not uncommon to lose everyday-use objects such as wallets, keys, sunglasses, or water bottles, Uber’s yearly report indicates that passengers frequently leave behind things that are far from mundane. Consider a 25 kg ghee container, a holy fire altar (hawan kund), or even a wheelchair. These were no tall tales — they were genuine items left behind in 2024.

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Uber Provides a Lifeline

While losing something in a street-hailed taxi can be a lost cause, Uber provides users with a better chance of retrieval. Due to the app’s specific lost-and-found function, passengers can track their ride history and reach out to drivers directly to pick up misplaced items.

Shiva Shailendran, consumer and growth director – Uber India South Asia, said:

We’ve all been there – that facepalm moment when we realized we left a valued item behind in a cab. At Uber, we’ve simplified the process of getting back lost items with a few easy steps in our app.”

Mumbai Tops the Forgetfulness List

Mumbai took the crown for India’s forgetful city in 2024, with Delhi NCR taking a close second, followed by Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. With the chaos of everyday life, or perhaps just weekend exhaustion, these cities topped the charts in terms of lost item complaints, proportionate to the number of trips.

In contrast, Hyderabad boasted incredible presence of mind — people there were least likely to leave their stuff behind in an Uber.

Saturday Syndrome: When Forgetfulness Peaks

The Lost & Found Index revealed some fascinating trends: Saturdays and evenings became the peak time when things go missing. Festive days weren’t spared either; the most forgotten items on such dates were seen on these days:

  • August 3 (Saturday, Shivratri)

  • September 28 (Saturday)

  • May 10 (Friday, Akshay Tritiya)

Next time you’re out on a festive weekend, double-check your seat before getting out!

Top 10 Most Forgotten Items in 2024

Here’s a list of the most commonly misplaced items in Uber cabs this year:

  1. Backpack / Bag

  2. Earphones / Speakers

  3. Mobile Phones

  4. Wallet / Purse

  5. Spectacles / Sunglasses

  6. Keys

  7. Clothing

  8. Laptop

  9. Water Bottles

  10. Passport

The Wild List: India’s Most Bizarre Lost Items

Beyond the usual suspects, these quirky items made it to Uber’s most unforgettable lost list:

  • Cow ghee (25 kg)

  • Wheelchair

  • Bansuri (flute)

  • Hair wig

  • Gas burner stove

  • Wedding saree

  • Gold biscuit

  • Telescope

  • Ultrasonic dog bark control device

  • Hawan kund

A Gentle Reminder from Uber

Uber recommends the riders to keep their belongings under close observation and encourages them to pack everything into a single bag when feasible. A swift check of the seat area before exit can prevent the riders from dealing with the hassles of lost belongings.