Rapido’s ‘share not number’ response to victim draws flak

Umar Sharieef | NT

Bengaluru: The recent reply of Rapido, the online 2- and 3-wheeler taxi service provider, to the woman who was allegedly sexually harassed women by one of its drivers has drawn mixed reactions.

“Do not share your number with the drivers”, Rapido said, while extending an apology to the Bengaluru woman.

However, users have questioned the safety measures of Rapido and the policy of the application against their offending drivers.

Speaking to News Trail, several Rapido users said the reply was baseless.

“Nobody can tell me not to share my number with anyone. There are incidents where users have to dial the drivers and ask them not to cancel rides in which case the number is shared. Would anyone share their numbers with the drivers purposely? What policies does Rapido have to crack down on such drivers?” questioned the users.

On the legal aspect, Bhaskar Rao, a former IPS and Commissioner of Police, in Bengaluru, said users must not share their numbers with drivers of the application, which could compromise their security.

“Sharing your number is similar to sharing the keys of your house. These offenders must be punished severely before the law to prevent similar incidents in the future. But, the remand application is loose and the accused gets out of the punishment very soon,” he said.

Asked when it was the right of the individual to share their numbers with others, Rao allegedly said, “Be prepared for such incidents when you share your numbers with such drivers, delivery agents, or others”.

Reacting to it, civil and human rights activist Brinda Adige slammed the ex-cop’s comment as “Nonsense”, and said it was a retrograde response. “It is the professionalism to call up someone to get or pass on the information.

Asking women not to share their numbers is unacceptable and it shows the patriarchal mindset of such people. The harassment doesn’t always happen to women alone, it happens to other men as well. It shows his caliber”, she said.

While such online transports in Bengaluru have been named illegal, Adige said the government has not done enough to stop the functioning of it. Rajesh, Inspector from Bandepalya Police Station, told News Trail that the victims of such cases and any other incidents must report to the nearby police station as soon as possible instead of tweeting.

“Tweeting is acceptable but the victims must also come forward and file a complaint with the nearby police station for the action. Sharing the numbers with the drivers is inevitable, but I advise the users to be more cautious while riding on such taxis and it is better to keep someone informed about the raids to ensure safety”, he advised.

News Trail's multiple attempts to reach Rapido for the company’s response failed.