A Bengaluru woman has alleged that her teenage brother was left helpless after being threatened and extorted by a cab driver, while police reportedly refused to intervene.

Mrinali Priyadarshni, who works as a Lead Copy at Swiggy, took to LinkedIn to share the harrowing incident that left her shaken. Her brother, aged 18, landed at Kempegowda International Airport past midnight and failed to secure a ride through Ola, Uber, or Rapido. Eventually, he opted for an airport taxi, agreeing to a fare of ₹800 as shown on the app.

However, things took a dark turn when the driver diverted from the shorter 19 km route to a longer 24 km stretch. During the ride, the driver inquired if he was local. Then, in an isolated spot, the cab suddenly stopped. Stepping out, the driver allegedly demanded ₹3,000, warning that if the teen refused, he’d take him to his “friends” who might harm him.

Terrified, the boy spotted two patrolling police officers on scooters and approached them. Shockingly, they declined to assist, stating that the driver couldn’t legally overcharge and advised the teen to resolve the matter at the station—alongside the threatening driver.

Fearing for his safety, the teenager was forced to pay the demanded sum before being dropped off.

Mrinali slammed the police for abandoning her brother at a vulnerable hour. As of now, Bengaluru police have not commented on the viral claims.