A routine evening bike-taxi ride turned traumatic for a 26-year-old woman in Kalyan after a newly hired Rapido driver allegedly molested her and attempted to rob her on a deserted road. Police have arrested the accused, a 19-year-old bike taxi rider, in connection with the incident, which has once again raised alarm over passenger safety on app-based transport platforms.

Ride diverted to deserted stretch

According to the police, the incident occurred on Saturday evening around 7 pm. The woman had booked a Rapido bike taxi to travel from her Chickenghar area residence to her gym near Kalyan railway station. The accused, identified as Siddhesh Pardeshi, accepted the ride and picked her up as scheduled.

However, instead of heading towards the intended destination, Pardeshi allegedly diverted the scooter towards a dark and isolated stretch near the police colony in the Syndicate area. When the woman objected to the sudden change in route, the situation escalated.

Molestation and robbery attempt alleged

Police said the accused stopped the scooter, grabbed the woman’s hand and behaved in an indecent manner, causing her severe mental distress and humiliation. As per the FIR, he also snatched her purse and took ₹1,000 in cash, threatening her with a knife.

The woman resisted and raised an alarm, drawing the attention of nearby residents.

Locals catch accused, knife recovered

Hearing her cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot, overpowered the accused, and thrashed him before handing him over to the Mahatma Phule police.

Senior Inspector Baliramsingh Pardeshi said a knife was recovered from the accused. “The accused is a class 7 dropout from Khadakpada and had been working as a Rapido rider for the past one-and-a-half months,” he said.

Police custody and wider probe

Siddhesh Pardeshi was produced before a holiday court and has been remanded to police custody till December 18. Police are now investigating whether he was involved in similar incidents in the past and are also verifying his background and ride history with the bike-taxi aggregator.

Safety concerns resurface

The incident has once again sparked concerns over the safety of women passengers using app-based transport services, particularly during evening hours. Police have urged commuters to remain vigilant, share live ride details with trusted contacts, and report any suspicious behaviour immediately.

Authorities said further action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.