Bengaluru, Jan 6: Cab aggregators are once again in news for the wrong reasons after an Ola cab driver misbehaved with a 34-year-old woman passenger and even threatened to kill her when she raised an alarm.
But what followed was worse. The woman, a software engineer, immediately called the Ola emergency number following which they asked her to check if the driver was drunk. She later pressed the emergency button on the Ola app but received a message asking her to dial 100. After the aggregator failed to help her, she said she was lucky to be saved by the public.
Reacting to the incident, an Ola spokesperson said, “We regret the unfortunate incident and have immediately terminated the driver-partner from the platform upon receiving the complaint.”
Shruthi G (name changed), an employee at a software company at Bagmane Tech Park in Mahadevapura, booked an Ola cab after her work in the evening of January 3. She booked pick-up stops at two locations as she had to pick her four-year-old daughter from the day-care centre, which is 2 km away from her house.
However, around 6.22 pm, when the cab reached Malleshpalya near Kids Castle, the driver did not stop the vehicle. He asked her to get down at the last drop location. She told him to stop and tried to open the doors but he locked the doors, insisting that she sit in the car. When she resisted, he held her hands and abused her; he even threatened to kill her if she raised an alarm.
The victim said she pressed the emergency button on the app twice but only got a message advising her to call the police.
When she called the Ola emergency number, the person at the other end asked about her condition and to check whether the driver was drunk. They called back after one-and-a-half hours when she was filing a complaint at the police station.
“Ola did not make any efforts to reach out to the police or do anything to track my location and help me in that situation,” she said.
The victim called 100 and the staffer at the control room asked her which area she was in. Since she was familiar with the area, Shruthi was able to give her location.
“First they told me that the area comes under Baiyappanahalli. Later, they said it comes under HAL. Finally, they figured out the location. It took 20 minutes for the police to reach the spot,” she said.
What saved Shruti was her sheer instinct and luck. Alone in the cab, she started raising an alarm. Luckily, commuters in the other vehicles next to the cab noticed her screaming for help and stopped the driver.
“If this is the kind of security Ola provides its customer, it is very questionable,” she said. “If we have to really call the police during an emergency then why they put out the number and emergency button, it’s a waste of time during that crucial situation. If they directly told us to dial 100 during an emergency, it will save time. Lakhs of commuters take Ola cabs thinking it is safe but they have no mechanism to check their drivers and track their customers in danger.”
Baiyappanahalli police said the accused Bhimashankar Malged was arrested and remanded in judicial custody following the complaint.
Addressing a protest meet in front of Konaje police station on Sunday Mr Kateel said: “We (Sangh Parivar) are capable of setting Dakshina Kannada district on fire if the police fail to arrest the accused in Karthik Raj murder case.”
Comments
I think kateel had good new year celebration along with mithun rai.... free alcohol was supplied by mithun rai.....what you say guys????? lagta hai daaru kuch bohat hi zyaada hogayi thi raat me....daaru ka nasha utra nahi hoga....isliye agle din subah aake kateel ne apni dil ki baat keh di.....wo kehte hai na daaru ke nashe me aadmi ke muh se sach nikalta hai
Think twice before u speak, is a famous dialogue which clearly suits Nalini Kumari Kateel.. Mike mila tho pagal bhi gaane lagta hey,,
He is not fit for MP.......should be removed.....
Nalin is lying that he was not well. He uttered what bjp and sanghis have planned. Nothing can be hidden for a long time. this is hidden agenda of sanghis to create trouble in karnataka and costal districts in particular. Police should arrest him under goonda act. He should be removed from MP post as he is unfit for this responsible position. Suprement Court should order central Govt to take notice of this dangerous statement from an MP and remove him from this post. In case Nalin is mentally sick, admit him in a mental hospital.
for instance if this was happened from one of our muslim brother, what would be the reaction and action from these sanghis????? even from chaddi police dept......
ha now we came to know that you are bad mental mp of our dk dist. shame on you. you must resign immediately.
New year night \ raathre paad dina onchooru jaasthiathund\" - mallajjappa powad.
Ancha namma modi 15 lakh niklena bank gu paadwe panthijja..... Anchane indula..
Thoo paadare inbe daane lankeda hanumanthena?"
Hahaha...pukkele...
Typical coward sanghi...
The nation wants to know whether you are really not well or the frog inside well?
No need to give clarification just put this man behind bars. Useless MP
Pradeepji, NOT Wenlock, Kankanady Permanently.
Such goondas are fit to be encountered ....
Yes true he is not well... this all unstable people belongs to BJP/RSS, They dont know what they are speaking after all, all are the followers of chaiwala, what we can expect from this RSS goondas...this marle minister even dont know to speak in parliment, he drinks spit twice before he delivers a word
If he is unwell, admit him to Wenlock
This is the fact and sanghis real mentality. Now he may accept his threatening to set fire his own constituency, message is out in public.
Every anti-national will say the same thing when press conference even Thogadia....Shame on you as a MP of our beloved Dakshina Kannada. Did the people elect you to disturb the area & set fire .. Thooo ninna....
Anna kadle baipinanda thoo malpode, E thoo malpu bokk kadle baipundu.....
why didnt police arrest him, he is enticing people to create violence, why no suo motto on him.
such people should be booked under goonda act
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