On a fateful day in Bengaluru, Athira Purushothaman’s ordinary ride turned into a nightmare when she booked a Rapido auto to head home after participating in a Manipur violence protest at Town Hall Bangalore. However, due to multiple cancellations, she resorted to taking rapido auto bike from the app-based ride-hailing platform. To her surprise, the driver arrived on a different bike, explaining that the registered one was undergoing servicing. Despite her initial concerns, she confirmed the booking through the driver’s app and embarked on the ride.
Thread 🧵#SexualHarassement
Today, I went for the Manipur Violence protest at Town Hall Bangalore and booked a @rapidobikeapp auto for my way back home. However, multiple auto cancellations led me to opt for a bike instead. pic.twitter.com/bQkw4i7NvO— Athira Purushothaman (@Aadhi_02) July 21, 2023
As the journey progressed, they found themselves in an isolated area with no other vehicles in sight. To her horror, the driver’s behavior took an inappropriate turn, leaving Athira feeling fearful and vulnerable for her safety. The driver allegedly started engaging in indecent behavior, even going so far as to masturbate while riding the bike. Panicked and anxious, she remained silent throughout the harrowing ordeal.
To avoid disclosing her home location to the driver, Athira decided to disembark 200 meters before her actual destination. Unfortunately, the distressing encounter did not end there. Once the ride concluded, the driver began relentlessly calling and messaging her on WhatsApp. The barrage of unwanted attention and harassment prompted her to block his number for her own safety.
In an effort to shed light on the incident and hold the ride-hailing platform accountable, Athira took to Twitter on July 21 to share her traumatic experience. She shared a screenshot of the chat with the driver, revealing his inappropriate use of emojis and declarations of affection. In her tweet, she questioned Rapido’s safety measures and stressed the importance of prioritizing user safety during travel.
I asked him to drop me 200 meters before my actual destination to conceal my home location. Once the ride was over, he started relentlessly calling and messaging me on WhatsApp. I had to block his number to stop the harassment.
— Athira Purushothaman (@Aadhi_02) July 21, 2023
Bengaluru Police swiftly took notice of the serious allegations and initiated an investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Police, CK Baba, took to Twitter to announce the arrest of the accused, referring to him as a “real sicko on wheels.” The official handle of Bengaluru Police confirmed that an FIR had been registered at Electronic City PS and assured the public that they would not tolerate such indecent behavior. The authorities vowed to uphold the safety of the city and warned that those engaged in such despicable acts would face the full force of the law.
This incident sheds light on the importance of stringent safety measures in ride-hailing services, and it serves as a reminder that users’ safety should always be a top priority. The case also underscores the significance of swift action and accountability to maintain a safe environment for all passengers.