A video of a woman in Bengaluru confronting a Rapido auto driver for allegedly trying to steal from her handbag. According to the post shared by model and fashion designer Janhavi Kshatriyas, the incident occured during her recent ride when the driver continuously kept looking her through the rearview mirror. She said, “The driver was staring at me repeatedly through the rearview mirror in an uncomfortable, almost creepy way. I immediately informed my friend via Snapchat and mentioned that my phone battery was low.”
She informed the driver that she will prefer to pay in advance due to her phone’s low battery, to which he agreed. However, the situation quickly changed. “Later, he offered to charge my phone and took it in his hand, which I now regret,” she said.
Later, Khastriyas briefly exited the auto to buy coffee powder. Upon returning, she caught the driver red-handed trying to unzip her handbag. “My money was stuck in the zip and he was struggling to pull it out. He didn’t realise I was standing right behind him,” she recounted.
When she confronted him, the driver started making excuses. He first claimed he was just trying to move her bag “for safety”, then strangely he tried to put the attempted theft blame on a random girl nearby.
She quickly explained the situation to nearby bystanders and recorded the encounter, later sharing the video along with the driver’s vehicle details online. Kshatriyas concluded her post by stating, “This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust, safety and dignity. I dread to think what might have happened if I hadn’t come back when I did.”
Rapido’s reaction
Rapido swiftly reacted to the situation and apologised on behalf of the driver. The post said, “This is not the kind of experience we aim to provide. We take customer safety seriously and follow a zero-tolerance policy for such behaviour.” The company also asked for the time to investigate the whole matter.
