Bengaluru: Ola driver locks cab doors, gropes woman passenger

BENGALURU: An Ola ride on Sunday night turned out to be a nightmare for a 23-year-old fashion stylist, who was allegedly molested by her cab driver after holding her "hostage" inside the car by child-locking the doors.

The alleged harrowing experience went on for some time before the driver released her. The incident allegedly took place on Intermediate Ring Road, while the victim was on her way to Koramangala.

Though the woman did not file a police complaint, Ola took note of the complaint she sent to them and suspended the driver, Rajasekhar Reddy, on Wednesday. “Ola has zero tolerance to such incidents and the driver had been suspended on receiving the complaint," Ola said in a statement, adding it had asked the customer to lodge a formal complaint with the police.

“Safety of customers is our priority and we will continue to extend our full support to this investigation against the driver," the statement read.
The police said that they came to know about the incident through the media and that no complaint had been filed in any police station in Bengaluru south-east where the alleged incident took place. 

How it unfolded  

On Sunday night at 10.28, the woman booked an Ola cab from Indiranagar to BTM Layout, which was being driven by Rajshekhar Reddy. While on the way, the driver allegedly stopped the car on the Intermediate Ring Road and started groping her. As she tried to get out of the car, the driver allegedly child-locked the doors and continued to touch her inappropriately. When the woman shouted and hit the windows, he let her go with a warning that she would face dire consequences if she told about the incident to anyone, especially the police. The frightened girl filed a complaint with Ola after reaching her house, and the driver was suspended.

Driver threatened woman on phone

The woman claimed that she received multiple calls on her phone from the driver the next day. He called her to warn her that he would cause her harm if approached the police. The woman later blocked the driver's number.

Victim has to file plaint: Police

"This is no doubt a serious incident. But the woman should approach the police and file a complaint either in person or via telephone. Even for the police to take up a suomotto case against the accused, it is important for the police to know the area where the incident took place. This would help us in the investigation," a police officer said.