• Source:JND
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Bengaluru: A woman in Bengaluru has come forward with disturbing allegations of molestation by a Rapido auto‑rickshaw driver during a ride on September 8. She said she booked the ride from Kumaraswamy Layout, near Dayananda Sagar College.

According to her complaint, the driver, identified as Hanumanthappa H Talawar, first complimented her by comparing her to a film actress, then made inappropriate remarks. He allegedly touched her forehead under the guise of checking for fever, and then inappropriately touched her chest. When she tried to exit the vehicle, he insisted she stay.

She finally pushed him away and jumped out of the auto, returning home in distress. She later informed her mother and filed a police complaint. Although the sexual harassment case has been registered, the driver has not yet been arrested.

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According to NDTV, Rapido issued a statement saying, “We are deeply disturbed by the incident reported in Bengaluru. No one should ever feel unsafe or harassed while using our platform. Upon learning of the matter, we immediately reached out to the passenger to offer support and assured her of strict action."

The company added, “The captain has since then been permanently suspended and blacklisted from Rapido to ensure he cannot take rides in the future. We are also reinforcing refresher training across our fleet to maintain professional conduct and prevent such incidents from recurring".

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“We are fully cooperating with all investigating authorities and will provide all possible support to ensure that justice is delivered. The trust and safety of our passengers, especially women, are non-negotiable at Rapido; we maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of harassment," the company added.

“We also have multiple safeguards in place, including post-10:00 pm safety calls to women riders to confirm ride completion, 24×7 in-app SOS support with rapid escalation, and continuous safety reminders urging riders to verify vehicle and captain details before every trip," Rapido mentioned.