Ola driver molests woman in locked car

An Ola cab driver was arrested for molesting and trying to sexually assault a 24-year-old woman inside a locked car on the way to the Kempegowda International Airport on the night of June 1.

The arrested, Arun V (31), a resident of Kasaghattapura in Chikkabanavara, was picked up by the police three hours after an email complaint from the victim reached city police commissioner T Suneel Kumar on Monday. His cab was also seized.

In her complaint, the victim alleged she had hired an Ola cab from Kodihalli to the airport on Friday night. Around 11 pm, the driver told her that he knew a shortcut and took his car to an isolated spot in Doddajala. He then stopped the car, locked the doors and demanded that she disrobe. He then molested her and started to force himself on her. While she resisted and raised an alarm, he charged at her, trying to strangle her. The victim started screaming and threatened the driver that she was determined not to let him get away. The driver then clicked the victim’s pictures and blackmailed her, saying he would upload them on social media if she revealed the incident to anyone. The victim gave in after which the driver dropped her at the airport the same night and left.

The woman, a native of Mangaluru, took her flight to Mumbai and after reaching Mumbai airport, informed her father about the incident over phone. She then shot off an email complaint to the city police commissioner who directed the jurisdictional police to register a case.

The Jeevan Bima Nagar police arrested Arun and booked him under sections of IPC 354 — assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, using sexually coloured remarks, 354-B — intent to disrobe.