Outrage on Twitter over 'offence' of Rapido driver

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Twitter users are expressing their outrage and demanding action following an incident involving a Rapido bike taxi driver who was accused of sexually harassing a woman passenger in Bengaluru's southern region.

The distressing event occurred when the woman, who had participated in a protest at Town Hall condemning violence against women in Manipur, booked the Rapido bike taxi to return home.

The victim took to Twitter to share her harrowing experience, explaining that she opted for Rapido after facing multiple cancellations from autorickshaw drivers.

To her shock, during the ride, they entered a remote area with no other vehicles around, and the driver began engaging in inappropriate behaviour, even going so far as to masturbate while riding the bike.

Fearing for her safety, she remained silent throughout the ordeal. To safeguard her home location, the woman requested the driver to drop her off 200 meters before the destination. However, the driver's harassment did not stop there.

After the ride, he persistently called and messaged her on WhatsApp, leading her to block his number to put an end to the harassment. The victim questioned Rapido's safety measures, urging the company to prioritise user safety and ensure that individuals registered with their service can be trusted for a secure travel experience.

She also shared a screenshot of a disturbing message from the driver. After the victim filed a complaint at the Electronics City police station, the suspect, identified as K Shivappa, 23, was arrested.