BENGALURU: A 28-year-old woman from Bihar was arrested on Sunday for allegedly assaulting an autorickshaw driver with her slipper following a minor collision.
The incident occurred on Bellandur Central Mall Road on Saturday afternoon. She was later released on station bail. The auto drivers’ union in the city condemned the woman’s action.
The accused was identified as Pankhuri Mishra. She is working for an IT firm and staying at a paying guest accommodation on Bellandur Road. A video of the incident shows the woman assaulting the auto driver after a traffic dispute.
She claimed that the autorickshaw had hit her vehicle, but the driver repeatedly denied the allegation, saying, “You can check the CCTV footage. I didn’t even touch your vehicle.” The argument escalated when the woman removed her slipper and began hitting the driver multiple times. In the video, she is heard saying, “Make a video! Do whatever you can.” Bystanders later intervened and questioned her for the assault.
According to the police, based on a complaint filed by auto driver Lokesh, a resident of Dodda Somanahalli, Pankhuri was summoned for questioning on Sunday morning and was arrested. During interrogation, she claimed that she was pregnant and that the auto had collided with her scooter, leading to the confrontation. The police added that sudden provocation led her to assault and abuse the driver. She was booked under various sections of the BNS and later released on station bail on Sunday.
Various auto unions and pro-Kannada outfits condemned the woman’s action. Some groups even staged protests outside the police station, demanding strict action and calling for her expulsion from the city.