Rapido Driver Arrested After Social Media Outcry
Bengaluru Police confirmed on Sunday the arrest of a Rapido bike taxi driver following serious allegations of harassment against a female passenger. The incident, which occurred on November 6, gained public attention after the victim detailed her traumatic experience on social media platforms.
The Harrowing Incident Details
According to police reports, the woman was returning to her paying guest accommodation from the Church Street area when the alleged harassment took place. The accused has been identified as 28-year-old Lokesh, a resident of Muniyappa Layout in Ullal, Bengaluru.
In her social media post that triggered police action, the victim described how the driver attempted to grab her legs while the vehicle was in motion. "It happened so suddenly that I couldn't even process it, let alone record it," the woman wrote, capturing the shocking nature of the incident.
The situation escalated when the driver repeated his actions despite her protests. "When he did it again, I told him, 'Bhaiya, kya kar rahe ho, mat karo,' but he didn't stop," she added in her emotional account.
Police Response and Investigation
The Bengaluru Police's social media monitoring unit promptly identified the viral post and initiated contact with the victim to gather additional information. Following their investigation, authorities officially registered a case the next day and launched a comprehensive enquiry into the matter.
The victim described reaching her destination in tears, where a concerned bystander noticed her distressed state and intervened to confront the driver. Her decision to speak out stemmed from previous similar experiences and an overwhelming feeling of insecurity. "I'm sharing this because no woman should have to go through something like this — not in a cab, not on a bike, not anywhere," she stated emphatically.
Separate UP Incident: Rape Allegation Proved False
In an unrelated development from Uttar Pradesh, police revealed on Sunday that rape allegations made against a madrassa teacher in Sitapur district were medically disproven. The family of a 15-year-old girl had accused Maulana Irfan Ul Qadri of an illegal madrassa in Kotwali area of committing the crime on November 4.
Although an FIR was registered against Qadri, who remains absconding, and his wife was detained, subsequent medical examination at the district hospital failed to confirm the rape allegation. During police questioning, the teenage girl retracted her initial statement, though authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the false accusation.
Additional Superintendent of Police, North, Alok Singh confirmed that while rape was medically ruled out, a detailed probe is ongoing to understand why the girl and her family made the serious allegations against the madrassa teacher.
