A Bengaluru woman has accused an auto-rickshaw driver, booked via an app aggregator, of attempting to steal from her handbag during a ride on the evening of June 11.
Janhavi, the victim, shared a now-viral Instagram video detailing the unsettling encounter, which began as a regular commute from Marathahalli to JP Nagar 7th Phase around 8:24 PM. According to her, the driver acted suspiciously throughout the ride, repeatedly staring at her through the rearview mirror, making her feel uneasy.
Sensing danger, she alerted a friend via Snapchat and, due to low phone battery, chose to pay the fare in advance. The driver even offered to charge her phone, which she handed over—something she later regretted.
The situation escalated at 9:40 PM, just a kilometre from her destination, when she stepped into a store to buy coffee powder. On returning, Janhavi claims she caught the driver unzipping her handbag, which she had briefly left in the vehicle.
“He didn’t notice I was standing behind him,” she wrote. When confronted, the driver allegedly tried to deflect blame, citing concern for the bag’s safety and even accusing a nearby pedestrian.
Janhavi documented the entire confrontation on video, noted the auto’s registration number, and filed a formal complaint with the app, urging Rapido to act and enforce stricter driver screening.
“This is about more than theft — it’s about trust, safety, and dignity,” she stressed.