Woman Alleges Rapido Driver Watched Porn During Ride, Company Apologises

A woman's account of an alleged incident during an auto ride has triggered a discussion on passenger safety and the response of ride-hailing platforms after she shared her experience on social media.

Content creator Sukanya Dutta alleged that her Rapido auto driver was watching inappropriate content, appeared to be porn, while she was seated behind him during a ride from Safdarjung to Model Town. 

She shared her experience through an Instagram video, saying that the incident occurred during a ride that began at around 8:48 pm.

According to Dutta, she was initially unaware of what was happening until another woman travelling on a motorcycle tried to get her attention at a traffic signal.

She said the woman informed her that the auto driver was watching inappropriate content on his mobile phone. 

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Dutta alleged that the driver immediately hid his phone after being confronted by the woman on the bike.

She further claimed that she then noticed the driver was breathing heavily and touching himself inappropriately while she was seated directly behind him in the auto.

The alleged incident took place when she was still around 30 minutes away from her destination.

Addressing questions about why she did not leave the auto immediately, Dutta explained that most of the journey passed through highway stretches and she was unfamiliar with the area. 

She wrote, "I didn't know the route well enough to get off safely, as it was mostly a highway, and I didn't feel it was safe to confront him while I was alone in the auto. So I stayed. Because, in that moment, reaching a crowded, familiar place felt like the safer option."

After reaching her destination, Dutta confronted the driver, whom she identified in a video as Chotelal Kumar Yadav.

According to Dutta, instead of denying the allegation, the driver said he had been watching foreign videos of women wearing revealing clothes.

Also Read: Man Praises Rapido Driver For Returning Lost Wallet, Company Responds

Here's What Rapido Said:

Responding to the post, Rapido apologised and said the incident described by Dutta was extremely concerning. 

The company wrote, "Hi Sukanya, the incident you have described is extremely concerning, and we regret the distress and discomfort you experienced due to the inappropriate behavior of the Captain. We also understand that not receiving timely support during such a critical situation can be extremely upsetting, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused."

"Customer safety is our utmost priority, and we have a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of unsafe or misconduct behavior by Captains. Such incidents are treated with the highest seriousness, and strict action will be initiated against the concerned Captain. Kindly share the specific Ride ID and your registered mobile number via DM so that we can immediately review the details, and take the necessary action. We are committed to ensuring a safe and respectful experience for every customer and will address this concern with the seriousness," Rapido added.

In a later update, Rapido confirmed that the driver had been permanently removed from the platform. The company said it had addressed the matter with the highest level of attention and permanently barred the concerned captain after a detailed review of his unprofessional behaviour during the ride. It added that it had taken Dutta's feedback regarding the assistance provided during the incident seriously. 

Rapido further said it would conduct a thorough review of the interactions to identify areas for improvement and strengthen its processes to ensure timely and appropriate support, particularly in safety-related situations. The company said customer safety, dignity, and respect remained its key priorities and once again apologised for the experience.