Online taxis no more safe in Kerala, Uber driver booked for misbehaving with woman

The Uber driver was arrested from Thiruvananthapuram The Technopark employee had hired a taxi on July 12, by 7.30pm The driver misbehaved with her on the way to destination

This is perhaps the first time that an online taxi driver is booked from Kerala for misbehaving with a female passenger.

An Uber taxi driver has been arrested in Thiruvananthapuram for allegedly misbehaving with a female IT professional.  The woman, an employee of Technopark, has filed a complaint with police. 

The police said the 32-year-old driver was arrested from 'Prathidhwani,' a socio-cultural outfit of the Technopark IT employees. 

"He was booked under section 119 (a) of the Kerala Police Act pertaining to the offence of misbehaving with the passenger and publicly making a sexual gesture or doing acts degrading the dignity of women," police said. 

The incident happened at Aakkulam while the female passenger was returning home from her workplace at Kazakkuttam on June 13 night. 

According to the complaint, the woman, an employee of the Technopark Phase 3, had hired a taxi via UberApp to Jagathy by 7.30 pm. 

The driver made attempts to befriend the woman during the journey.  As the car was about to reach Aakkulam, he grabbed the leg of passenger below the knee. The passenger and asked him to stop the car. When he parked the vehicle, she alighted. The driver then apologised and left, the complaint said. 

Though the victim complained to Uber, they just sent an 'apology mail,' stating that this would not be repeated. 

'Prathidhwani' sources said they took up the matter as the woman did not want to reveal her identity but wanted to make sure that no other woman faced a similar ordeal.

(With inputs from PTI)