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.
Comments
With all due respects, to all our brothern Hindus,
One thing sure, series of babas because who are not allowed to marry are indulged in rape, adultary cases.
Babas who called Godman became criminals.
Hindus should not be so stupid to allow these babas to commit more crime and spoil the name of Hinduism.
If you dont allow them, you are risking your daughters in a very dangererous state. May God really help.
why are the hording in hindi, do this people not respect kannada and kannadigas?
@Hari... In that matter, Kerala media did well. They didnt give much importance to Amit Shah's visit. Kerala media covered actor Dileep issue at that time. But cunning Shah brought national pro cheddi media there for his programmes
They are coming for spreading hatred and communal thinking.. should avoid them and should not attend thier programmes. Even media should not cover thier arrival with much importance
LOL... Yogi and Shah from the state, which has no sufficient toilets for people and they are talking about development... Greeeeaaaaat
Communal Yogi and shahspoiled Mangaluru' sacredness
I heard speech of Yogi, while he visited Kerala. Fool Yogi told Kerala govt to learn hospital treatments and life care from UP hospitals... See the irony - Yogi, who is the reason for death of 61 children ask to learn from hospital things to Kerala govt, where health care sector having no. 1 position among Indian states
Mangaluru was sacred place just before your arrival. You spoiled that with blood stains of 61 children and many raped women
See the face of swamis, really public are idiots
Sacred land with feku babas... Yogi better concentrate on your UP land. First try to develop your UP then give advice to others. Our manglore is developing and we do not need your advise. Try to correct law and order in your state. I wonder why you became CM.. Instead of that you could have become a sadhu or pandith. This will be good and suitable for you. Also try to learn the meaning of DEVELOPMENT!!!!
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