Cab driver held for masturbating in front of woman during ride in Delhi

New Delhi: A 48-year-old Rapido cab driver has been arrested for allegedly masturbating in front of a woman during a ride in north Delhi's Maurice Nagar area, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Monday when the 22-year-old student booked a Rapido cab to go to college. The driver, identified as Lom Shankar, allegedly began misbehaving with her and subsequently, indulged in the indecent act while she was seated in the vehicle, police said.

"The incident took place on Monday when a student was travelling in a Rapido cab. She noticed that the driver's behaviour was suspicious as he asked her to sit in the front seat and then began acting inappropriately," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said.

"The student immediately grew alert and spotted a few of our officers deployed at Kranti Chowk. She approached them and raised an alarm. By the time the officers reached the cab, the driver had fled. We later obtained his details from Rapido and subsequently, arrested him," the officer added.

According to police, the woman, a native of Bengaluru, shifted to Delhi only two months ago after securing admission in a postgraduate course.

She told police that she was running late for her classes on Monday morning and had booked a cab. The app showed an estimated arrival time of 10 minutes, but the driver called her requesting her not to cancel the ride and assuring her that he was on his way.

When she boarded the cab, Shankar first asked her to sit in the front seat, but she declined and chose the rear seat. He allegedly attempted to touch her and soon began masturbating while driving the vehicle, police said.

Despite her protests and raising an alarm, the driver did not immediately stop the vehicle. After covering some distance, he halted the cab, when the student managed to get out of it and run, they said.

Following a written complaint from the woman, an FIR was lodged and Shankar, a resident of Malka Ganj, was arrested. The cab was also seized, police said.

A forensic and crime team has inspected the vehicle and collected evidence.

A Rapido spokesperson said the company unequivocally condemns the driver's reported misconduct and will extend its full cooperation to the police investigation.

"Immediately upon receiving the complaint, our safety and support teams activated emergency protocols, coordinated with law enforcement, and personally escorted the accused driver to the police station to ensure swift action. At every stage, we kept the customer proactively informed to maintain complete transparency and reassurance," the spokesperson of the company said in a statement.

He added that Rapido has zero tolerance for any form of harassment and is unwavering in its commitment to passenger safety, especially the safety of women.

"In addition to strict KYC verification and immediate suspension of accounts upon credible reports, we have introduced proactive safeguards including post-10 pm safety calls to women riders to confirm ride completion, 24x7 in-app SOS support with rapid escalation, and ongoing safety reminders urging riders to verify vehicle and captain details before every trip," the statement said.