- By Chetna Shree
- Tue, 16 Dec 2025 03:06 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Mumbai Police have arrested a 19-year-old bike taxi driver for allegedly molesting and attempting to rob a female passenger on a deserted stretch in Maharashtra's Kalyan on Saturday evening. The driver reportedly stopped the vehicle, indecently assaulted the woman, and snatched Rs 1,000 cash from her purse. The newly hired bike taxi driver was remanded to police custody till December 18.
What Was The Incident?
In her official complaint, the 26-year-old woman stated that she booked a bike-taxi around 7 PM to travel to her gym located near the Kalyan railway station, Times of India reported. The newly hired driver, identified as 19-year-old Siddhesh, accepted the ride and picked her up from her residence in the Chickenghar area.
However, the driver allegedly diverted the scooter onto a deserted and darkened stretch of road near the police colony in the Syndicate area, instead of taking her to the intended destination.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the driver allegedly stopped the scooter, grabbed the woman's hand, and "behaved in an indecent manner," which caused her severe mental distress and humiliation.
Further, the driver allegedly snatched her purse and took Rs 1,000 cash. The woman raised an immediate alarm, and locals rushed to the spot, apprehending the driver and reportedly thrashing him before handing him over to the Mahatma Phule police.
Mahatma Phule police station's senior inspector Baliramsingh Pardeshi said, "We have also recovered a knife from the accused, who has been identified as Siddhesh Pardeshi, a class 7 dropout from Kalyan's Chadakpada area."
The accused driver, Siddhesh, was produced before a holiday court following his arrest. The court has remanded Siddhesh to police custody until December 18.
Rapido Denies Link With Rider
Earlier, it was reported that the accused bike rider was employed with the ride-hailing platform, Rapido. However, the company later clarified that the rider was never hired by the firm and his name was incorrectly linked to the platform. The company said that the accused applied to join Rapido, but was denied after he failed to meet their eligibility and verification standards.
"We are aware of the extremely disturbing incident reported from Kalyan (Maharashtra) and appreciate the swift action taken by the police in apprehending the accused. The nature of the allegations is deeply concerning, and our thoughts remain with the victim and their family during this difficult time," a company spokesperson told The Daily Jagran.
"We reiterate, with absolute clarity: the accused has no affiliation with Rapido and has never been part of our captain fleet. His earlier rejection underscores the importance of stringent compliance across the industry. We urge all mobility platforms to strengthen due diligence and ensure that only verified and compliant individuals are allowed to operate for public service," he added.