Cab driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, accused of raping a woman, outside a court in New Delhi on Monday. (Reuters)
Under attack over the alleged rape by one its drivers, internet-based taxi firm Uber today apologised and said in a mail to all its users that it will assist authorities to help bring the accused to justice. It also expressed hope of operating in the city again.
The driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, contracted to Uber, had allegedly raped a 27-year-old woman executive on the night of December 5. He was arrested from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh and remanded by a Delhi court in judicial custody till December 24. In the aftermath of the incident, Uber was banned by the Delhi government.
Here is the full text of the statement from Uber:"We are sorry and deeply saddened by what happened over the weekend in New Delhi. Our hearts go out to the victim of this horrible crime. We have been and will continue to do everything in our power to assist the authorities to help bring the perpetrator to justice.
The events of this week have made us reflect on our operations in India and we are immediately undertaking a number of important actions. During this review, we will suspend operations in New Delhi.
First, let us acknowledge that we must do better; and we are conducting a full audit of our verification, rider feedback and support processes. We are implementing measures to ensure that critical rider feedback is escalated immediately and immediate action is taken in every instance. We are also re-reviewing rider feedback on every driver partner across India to make sure nothing has been missed.
Second, we are assessing all driver screening processes. We are evaluating additional screening options to include background checks on all our driver partners in India above and beyond what is currently required.
Third, we will also bring in our global best practices where it would enhance our India safety efforts.
Fourth, we will also partner closely with organisations that are championing women's safety here in New Delhi and around the country.
Safety is our top priority. We are fully committed to partnering with and are in discussions with the government, other transportation organisations and safety experts in India to implement robust solutions to ensure a safe ride.
Our efforts will not end there. Uber stands shoulder to shoulder with the cities we serve, and are investing in technology advances to help make cities a safer place.
Your support means a lot to us. We will come back better and stronger for the New Delhi community, ready to serve you again."