Bengaluru Woman Alleges Sexual Assault By Rapido Driver During Mid-Ride

A woman in Bengaluru has come forward with serious allegations of sexual assault against a Rapido bike taxi driver. On Friday, she took to Twitter to recount her harrowing experience, stating that she had booked the ride to return home from Town Hall after attending a protest against Manipur violence. Due to multiple cancellations from auto rickshaw taxis, she was left with no choice but to opt for the bike taxi service.

To her shock, the Rapido driver who arrived to pick her up was not using the registered bike on the app, claiming it was undergoing servicing. Despite this, she confirmed the ride and began her journey.

During the ride, while en route to her destination, the driver allegedly started masturbating while driving the motorcycle with his other hand. The incident occurred in a remote area with no other vehicles around, leaving her feeling vulnerable and scared for her safety. In silence, she endured the uncomfortable situation until the ride concluded.

After requesting the driver to drop her a short distance away from her actual home to avoid revealing her location, she made the full payment for the ride. However, her ordeal didn't end there, as the driver persisted in calling and texting her even after the ride was over. She shared a screenshot of an inappropriate message sent by the driver on WhatsApp, which she promptly blocked.

In an effort to hold the bike taxi aggregator accountable, she addressed the company on Twitter, questioning the measures they have in place to ensure customer safety. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing user safety and demanded that those registered with the service can be trusted for a secure travel experience. She also reported that the driver continued to harass her from other phone numbers.

The Bengaluru police responded to her accusation and requested her contact details to take appropriate action. They informed her that they had passed on the information to the relevant authorities for investigation.

However, this is not the first time that Rapido drivers have faced allegations of sexual harassment.

Earlier, a Twitter user shared screenshots of inappropriate messages from a Rapido driver who had obtained her location via WhatsApp.

Additionally, there was a case in April involving another Bengaluru woman who had to jump off a moving Rapido bike taxi after allegedly being groped and harassed by the driver. The police arrested the accused in that incident.