Bengaluru: A woman in Bengaluru has alleged that a Rapido bike taxi rider made unwanted physical contact with her and remained near her residential society after dropping her off, leaving her feeling unsafe. Rapido has apologised for the incident and said the rider has been permanently suspended from its platform.
The woman shared details of her experience in a series of posts on X, tagging Rapido and Bengaluru City Police. She also posted screenshots of her ride details and questioned the platform’s accountability and passenger safety measures.
According to her account, she was initially hesitant to take the ride because of the rain. However, the rider, identified in her post as Syed Tousif Z, repeatedly requested that she not cancel the booking.
Woman alleges unwanted physical contact
In her post, the woman alleged that the rider behaved in an overly familiar manner during the trip. She said he offered her a raincoat and repeatedly asked whether she was comfortable, even though she had her earphones plugged in.
She further alleged that the rider held her hand for several seconds while she was returning his helmet after reaching her destination. She described the contact as unwanted and said the rider was smiling in a manner that made her uncomfortable.
The woman said the incident left her distressed and raised concerns about the safety of women using bike taxis and other app-based transport services.
Her account has brought attention to the importance of passenger boundaries and the need for ride-hailing platforms to respond promptly when customers report inappropriate behaviour.
Rider allegedly remained near residential society
The woman also raised concerns about the payment process at the end of the ride. According to her post, the rider claimed that his mobile phone was not working because of the rain and asked her to provide her phone number for payment.
She said she declined to share her number and instead insisted on paying through a QR code. She eventually completed the payment using that method.
After reaching her destination, the woman said she did not immediately enter her residential society because she felt unsafe. She claimed that the rider remained near the entrance even after she had completed the trip.
According to her account, a security guard asked the rider to leave, but he did not depart immediately. She alleged that he left only after the guard asked him to leave a second time.
The woman said the experience left her feeling unsafe and traumatised. She questioned how passengers could feel secure using bike taxis, autos and cabs, particularly during busy hours, if safety measures were inadequate.
Her claims have not been independently verified.
Bengaluru City Police seek details
Responding to the woman’s post on X, Bengaluru City Police asked her to share details of the location and her contact information to enable them to follow up on the complaint.
The police response came after the woman publicly raised concerns about her experience and tagged the city police along with Rapido.
The request for further details would help the authorities establish the circumstances of the incident and determine what action may be required.
Rapido apologises and suspends rider
Rapido responded to the complaint by apologising for the woman’s experience and acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations.
In its response through the Rapido Cares account, the company said unwanted physical contact and behaviour that makes passengers feel unsafe were serious concerns. It also stated that the rider, referred to by the platform as a “Captain”, had been permanently suspended.
The company further advised passengers who feel uncomfortable or unsafe during a ride to use the SOS option in the Rapido app for immediate assistance.
Rapido said passenger safety and dignity were important, while its response indicated that it had taken action against the rider following the complaint.
The suspension is a platform-level measure. Any further action by the authorities would depend on the details of the complaint and the outcome of any investigation.
Passenger safety concerns come into focus
The incident has renewed attention on safety in app-based transport services, particularly the responsibility of platforms to address complaints involving alleged harassment and unwanted physical contact.
Passengers rely on ride-booking platforms to provide not only convenient transport but also a safe travel experience. Clear complaint mechanisms, effective responses to reports of misconduct and appropriate action against riders accused of violating passenger boundaries are important elements of that responsibility.
The woman’s account also highlights the unease passengers may experience after reaching their destinations if a rider’s conduct makes them feel threatened. Her decision to remain outside her residential society until the rider left illustrates the concerns she described.
Bengaluru City Police sought additional information from the woman, while Rapido confirmed the rider’s permanent suspension from its platform. Further details about any formal police complaint or investigation were not available in the account provided.