Auto driver, accused by seriously ill woman of misbehaviour, arrested

A 36-year-old seriously ill woman has alleged that an auto-rickshaw driver misbehaved with her on September 16.

She lodged a complaint with the police on September 24 after consulting with friends and taking their suggestions. The Jeevan Bima Nagar police have arrested the auto driver.

Police said the case has been registered based on the woman’s statement, although they are yet to verify the allegations.

The woman, who stays in a paying guest accommodation in North Bengaluru and was residing with her friend’s apartment in Murugeshpalya from September 8, was called to a finance company in JB Nagar by her friend. She hailed an auto-rickshaw to reach the place around 6 pm.

The woman said she has cancer of the thyroid and is unable to speak. She handed the phone to the driver and asked him to take her to the location.

On the way, she felt the driver was taking her to the wrong location. She asked him to stop the auto-rickshaw, but he rode on. The woman began to cry in fear and alleged that the driver touched her inappropriately on the pretext of consoling her. When she raised objections, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.

The driver has been booked under IPC 354 A (sexual harassment) and 341 (wrongful restraint) and was arrested on Saturday.

The driver told police that the allegations against him are false. He only consoled her as he was unable to understand what she was saying, he said.