Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed
- A video of a Rapido bike taxi driver assaulting a woman has gone viral in Bengaluru.
- The incident occurred in Jayanagar area after the woman confronted the driver over rash driving.
- Communication issues arose as the woman spoke English and the driver spoke only Kannada.
Bengaluru:
A video showing a Rapido bike taxi driver assaulting a woman passenger in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar has gone viral on social media. The woman, who reportedly works at a jewellery store, is said to have confronted the rider over rash driving after getting off mid-ride.
The argument escalated as the two were unable to communicate. She spoke only English while the rider spoke only Kannada. The situation worsened after the woman allegedly refused to pay the fare and return the helmet. The driver was then seen slapping her, causing her to fall to the ground.
In the video, the two were initially seen arguing and trying to convince the bystanders to intervene, but to no avail. Even after the man slapped her, no one tried to stop him.
Police sources say that they urged the woman to file an FIR, but she didn’t want to pursue the matter. A non-cognizable report has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
Bike taxis, however, may not be seen on Karnataka’s roads anymore, in view of a high court directive to the government in April to suspend the two-wheeler taxis. The state government had then argued that bike taxis cannot operate as commercial vehicles.
“Three months back, the court decided bike taxis were illegal. They had given six weeks. Again, on their request, they have given six more weeks. Now, 12 weeks are over, and they (aggregators) must follow the High Court’s order,” said Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.
Bengaluru, the country’s tech hub, boasts a massive fleet of bike taxis, with Rapido holding 60% of the market share, clocking 16.5 lakh rides daily. Bike taxis employ at least 1.5 lakh gig workers across the state.
