'Brother, drive the bike properly', Rapido driver got angry on woman's complaint, slapped her hard:

News Topical, Digital Desk : A Rapido bike taxi driver in Jayanagar suddenly attacked a female passenger. The woman's only fault was that she had told the driver to drive the bike properly and not drive rough. In anger, the driver slapped the woman hard, causing her to fall on the road. The video of this incident has gone viral on social media. The woman works in a jewelry shop. She complained to the Rapido driver about his careless driving, after which an argument broke out. The woman spoke only English, while the rider spoke only Kannada.

The situation worsened after the woman allegedly refused to pay the fare and return the helmet. The driver then appeared to slap her, causing her to fall on the ground. In the video, the two were initially seen arguing and trying to convince bystanders to intervene, but to no avail. No one tried to stop the man even after he slapped her.

Police sources say they urged the woman to lodge an FIR, but she did not want to pursue the matter. A non-cognisable report has been filed, and investigations are underway. However, in view of the High Court's direction to the government in April to suspend two-wheeler taxis, bike taxis will no longer be seen on Karnataka's roads. The state government had then argued that bike taxis cannot operate as commercial vehicles.

"Three months ago, the court had declared bike taxis illegal. They had given six weeks. Again, on their request, they have given six more weeks. Now, 12 weeks have passed, and they (aggregators) should follow the high court order," Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said.