Woman airline pilot alleges harassment during cab ride; case registered against 3 men

Mumbai: A case has been registered against the driver of an Uber cab and two others for alleged sexual harassment of a 28- year-old woman airline pilot during a ride in the city, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place around 11.15 pm on Thursday when the woman was heading back to her house in Ghatkopar from south Mumbai, said a police official.

The woman's husband is a Navy officer, but as he is yet to get a government accommodation, he stays at a Navy residential complex while the woman lives in Ghatkopar, she told police.

After having dinner at a South Mumbai restaurant on Thursday night, her husband booked an Uber ride for her. As per the woman, the cab driver changed the route after 25 minutes into the journey, and allowed two men to sit in the cab.

One of them, who sat in the backseat next to her, touched her inappropriately, the woman stated in her complaint.

When she yelled at him, he threatened her, and the cab driver did not intervene, the complainant told police.

After some distance, the accused persons noticed police checking ahead on the highway, and both the male passengers got out and fled, the woman said.

The woman reached home, but when she asked, the driver did not give her any explanation as to why he allowed the two men to sit in the cab, she said.

After she narrated the incident to her husband next morning, the couple filed a complaint with Ghatkopar Police Station.

A First Information Report was registered against the three men under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 75(1) (sexual harassment), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) and further probe was on, the official said.