Bengaluru Woman's Terrifying Experience After Boarding Fake Cab At Kempegowda Airport: 'Almost Got Trafficked'

In a terrifying incident on Friday night, a woman narrowly escaped a potentially dangerous situation after boarding a cab at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru. The driver, later revealed to be an impersonator posing as an official Ola cab driver, allegedly attempted to extort money, prompting the woman to urgently seek help.

The ordeal began around 10:30 pm when the woman left the airport and headed to the Ola pickup zone, expecting a safe journey home from the airport's designated station. However, a man driving a sedan approached her, offering a ride despite her requesting a 'mini' cab.

The woman shared her experience on social media, writing, "Almost got trafficked/raped/looted/assaulted by a random cab driver who was let in by @BLRAirport in the Ola pickup station & impersonated to be one at terminal 1 of BLR airport at 10:30pm. Had I not called 112, I'd not be here typing this."

According to the police complaint, the woman agreed to the ride but quickly noticed red flags. The driver didn't request the mandatory OTP, nor did he have the Ola app on his phone. Instead, he asked her to input her destination into his own Maps app, claiming his official app was malfunctioning.

As the journey continued, the driver allegedly demanded additional fare, and when the woman refused, he suggested that another person in an Ethios car would drop her home for the original fare. Sensing something was wrong, she requested to be dropped back at the airport, but her pleas were ignored. The driver continued driving, eventually stopping at a petrol station and demanding ₹500 for fuel.

At this point, feeling increasingly unsafe, the woman called 112 - the emergency police helpline - while staying on the phone with a family member. Police responded swiftly, arriving at the Ola pickup stand within 20 minutes and apprehending the driver.

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, she posted, "Maybe he did all this only for extra bucks, maybe he had worse intentions, maybe he was intoxicated, I DO NOT KNOW. I was lucky enough to escape the worst around 11pm in the middle of nowhere; being on call with a male friend helped me to call 112 ASAP, and I acted swiftly."

Her post has garnered over 1.6 million views and 13,000 likes, with many expressing shock at the frightening incident. One user commented, "This is so scary, I'm getting goosebumps while reading your complaint letter." The incident has raised concerns about the safety of transport services at KIA, but neither the airport authorities nor Ola Cabs have commented on the matter.