A software engineer in Bengaluru has alleged that a Rapido driver threatened her after she booked a ride from the airport on Wednesday close to midnight. Babita Thakur, a software development test engineer with Accenture, said that the driver demanded advance payment from her in the middle of the ride and when she refused, he threatened her and was soon joined by other men. The incident left her feeling shocked and helpless.
"I never thought a simple cab ride could turn into a terrifying experience," Thakur said. "On 19th March 2025 around 11 PM, I booked a ride via Rapido from Bangalore Airport. Initially, the journey was fine, but after about 10 km, the driver stopped the car at a petrol pump and started demanding advance payment. When I refused, he threatened me, and soon 2-3 unknown men gathered and supported the driver, making the situation more unsafe."
'He arrogantly said he wasn’t afraid of police'
When Thakur tried to book another cab, the driver refused to return her bag from the trunk and demanded she continue the ride. "He arrogantly said he wasn’t afraid of police even when I warned I’d file a complaint. I even tried calling 100, but couldn’t connect," she said.
When she agreed to continue fearing for her safety in the deserted area, Thakur was shocked to find another vehicle following her. "Both drivers were laughing loudly and mocking me the entire way," she said.
She shared the driver’s photo and car details on LinkedIn and said that she would be submitting them to relevant authorities and consumer forums. The techie also said that while this incident was not a service failure, she questioned the safety standards Rapido offered its passengers. Tagging the company's co-founders, Pavan Guntupalli and Aravind Sanka, in her post, Thakur urged them to take this seriously and act before more such incidents happen.
"It was a blatant violation of passenger safety and women’s dignity," she added.
Company's response
Responding to Thakur's post, Rapido commented: "We sincerely apologise for the distressing and unacceptable experience you had, Babita. Such captain behavior is completely intolerable on our platform, and we take this matter very seriously."
The company stated that both the drivers involved have been suspended from the platform to prevent such incidents in the future.
"Your feedback has been noted, and we are actively working on improving our services to enhance passenger safety. If you need any further assistance, please feel free to reach out to us at social@rapido.bike. We are always here to help," it added.
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