Rapido Driver Accused Of Molesting Woman Passenger In Bengaluru, Company Responds

A Rapido auto-rickshaw driver was booked for allegedly molesting a woman passenger by touching her inappropriately during the ride in Bengaluru. The incident took place last week when the woman had booked an auto through the app-based app from Kumaraswamy Layout near Dayananda Sagar College to her home.

According to the complaint, the driver, identified as Hanumanthappa H Talawar, picked her up around 4:30 pm on September 8. During the journey, he allegedly made inappropriate comments, saying she looked like a film actress, and offered to help with her bags. The driver then touched her forehead, asking if she had a fever, before proceeding to molest her by inappropriately touching her chest, officials said.

When the woman tried to leave, he reportedly insisted she remain inside the auto. She eventually managed to push him away, jump out of the vehicle, and return home.

The woman informed her mother about the incident, following which they filed a complaint. Based on this, the police registered a case against the driver for sexual harassment. He has not yet been arrested.

Rapido, however, issued a statement regarding the incident, saying they have taken action against the driver.

"We are deeply disturbed by the incident reported in Bengaluru. No one should ever feel unsafe or harassed while using our platform. Upon learning of the matter, we immediately reached out to the passenger to offer support and assured her of strict action. The captain has since then been permanently suspended and blacklisted from Rapido to ensure he cannot take rides in the future. We are also reinforcing refresher training across our fleet to maintain professional conduct and prevent such incidents from recurring," it said.

The company added, "We are fully cooperating with all investigating authorities and will provide all possible support to ensure that justice is delivered. The trust and safety of our passengers, especially women, are non-negotiable at Rapido; we maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of harassment. We also have multiple safeguards in place, including post-10:00 pm safety calls to women riders to confirm ride completion, 24x7 in-app SOS support with rapid escalation, and continuous safety reminders urging riders to verify vehicle and captain details before every trip."