App-based cabs may seem like a relief many times – they are easy to book and are literally just a click away. However, there are a few instances when one sits back and wonders if these cabs are really a good and safe option, the latest being the arrest of a cab driver in Hyderabad who is said to have written a rider's phone number on a toilet wall along with lewd messages.
The woman reportedly approached the police on July 8 and said that she had been receiving lewd texts and calls from unknown numbers. The police then launched an investigation into the incident and arrested the culprit.
The driver is said to have had an issue with the female passenger over payment and held a grudge against her. The rider had booked the cab and the app showed the fare as Rs 200. However, the driver took a long route, due to which the fare came up to Rs 800. The woman then refused to pay the amount to the driver and left after giving him Rs 200, reported the Times of India.
This irked the cabbie and he is then said to have put up her number on the wall.
This incident might just be the tip of the iceberg as several passengers have had issues with app-based cabs and their drivers. Just a few days ago, a 30-year-old man was assaulted by an Uber driver in Bengaluru and was left with a broken nose, fractures on two of his fingers and several injuries on his face.
Abir Chandra had booked an Uber Pool on July 6 and was returning home to Marathahalli from his office in Jayanagar. He said the driver, identified as Anush R, accepted his booking and was already in a foul mood when he arrived for pick-up. Chandra was reportedly alone in the cab and asked the driver to drive a little faster, but Anush lost his cool and asked the rider to get out of the cab mid-way.
"In the middle of my trip, the driver told me to get out of the car as there was a lot of traffic on the road. When I refused, he pulled me out and when I pushed him back he punched me and banged his head on my face. I started bleeding from my nose and mouth," Chandra told TOI. "When I tried to defend myself, the driver called other locals and started hitting me again."
Meanwhile, an Ola driver was recently arrested in the IT city for misbehaving with a female passenger. The victim, said to be a college student and her mother had booked an Ola cab to travel to Malleshwaram.
The Ola driver, identified as Mahadeva, is said to have turned on the meter even before arriving for pick-up. The passenger got a message that waiting charges were applicable for the ride, when in fact that driver hadn't even arrived.
However, when she questioned Mahadeva, he abused her and even tried to throw his slipper at her, reported the Hindu. The victim then filed a police complaint, after which the driver was arrested.
