A 30-year-old woman narrowly avoided harm on Thursday night in East Bengaluru after jumping from a moving auto-rickshaw when she realised the driver was veering off course towards an unfamiliar destination, disregarding her instructions.
The incident, which occurred during a journey from Horamavu to her home in Thanisandra, was shared on social media by her husband, Azhar Khan. Though the woman did not file an official police report, Khan tagged Bengaluru city police in a post on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that the driver was intoxicated.
The woman had booked the ride using the Namma Yatri app and became suspicious when the driver, instead of following the usual route, diverted towards Hebbal. Despite her repeated questioning, the driver ignored her concerns. According to Khan, the driver exhibited signs of intoxication, including red eyes and erratic behaviour.
“When the vehicle reached Nagavara, the driver made an abrupt turn towards a flyover that wasn’t part of the route,” Khan told The Times of India.
Realising the danger, the woman decided to act. As the auto-rickshaw slowed down near the flyover’s down ramp, she jumped out of the vehicle. Fortunately, she escaped without injuries.
After she exited the auto-rickshaw, the driver approached her and attempted to convince her to re-enter the vehicle, but she refused. Instead, she opted to pay for the ride online and hailed another auto to complete her journey home.
“This is a serious issue concerning women’s safety. If this can happen to my wife at 9 PM, imagine how many other women face similar situations while travelling late at night,” Khan said, as reported by The Times of India.
The incident gained attention on social media, prompting a response from Namma Yatri. In a direct message to Khan, the ride-booking platform wrote, “Thank you for your time over the call, Azhar. Please DM us for further assistance.”
While the woman initially hesitated to file a formal complaint due to fears of retaliation, the Bengaluru police contacted Khan after his social media post drew widespread attention.
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