A Rapido bike taxi rider was detained and a police case registered against him after a video showing him slapping a woman passenger during a roadside altercation in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar went viral.
However, fresh CCTV footage has now emerged, showing that the woman appeared to have hit the rider first.
The incident occurred on Friday morning when the woman, reportedly a saleswoman at a jewellery store in Jayanagar, was on her way to work. She alleged that the rider was driving rashly and jumped traffic signals. Distressed by the unsafe riding, she got off the vehicle midway and confronted him.
The woman refused to pay the fare and return the helmet which triggered a verbal altercation between the two.
The viral video, shot by a passerby, shows the man slapping the woman with such force that she falls to the ground, sparking public outrage. However, the new CCTV footage shows the woman hitting the rider repeatedly before he retaliated.
Speaking to reporters, the rider, Suman S, claimed he was provoked and assaulted first. “She hit me twice with a tiffin box, abused me, and grabbed my collar. That’s when I reacted,” he said. He admitted, however, to telling her to “go back to your country,” which has drawn criticism online.
The woman told media persons that the rider had violated traffic rules and claimed, “He should not have attacked me. I made the payment and gave the helmet back.”
Reacting to the rider’s controversial remark, she added, “These Kannadigas have a language issue. They want us to either learn their language or leave.”
Initially unwilling to file a complaint, the woman was later sent a notice by the police, following which a formal FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to outraging the modesty of a woman, causing hurt, and provocation leading to breach of peace.
The Jayanagar police have launched an investigation. “The accused has been questioned. Action will be taken as per law,” said South Bengaluru DCP Lokesh B Jagalasar.
Rapido has not issued a comment, though the woman claimed their customer service apologised to her and informed her that the rider had been removed from service.
The incident has sparked renewed concern about the safety of women using app-based bike taxis, especially as the Karnataka High Court had directed a ban on such services in April.
Despite legal uncertainties, services like Rapido continue to operate across Bengaluru, with the platform commanding a major market share.
