A woman in Kolkata had a narrow escape after an Uber driver threatened her with rape and allegedly molested her.
The 27-year-old woman boarded an Uber cab (White Swift Dzire – WB 19H 2052) on Monday night from Beliaghata S. N. Bose Road area. She then picked her male friend up from Salt Lake GD Block and dropped him at Beliaghata.
Thereafter the woman asked the driver to drop her at Salt Lake EC Block. That’s when the driver started to drive in a rash manner and took a deserted route instead of the main road. When she protested, the driver refused to take the car towards her destination and instead threatened to kidnap and rape her, reported The Times Of India.
“Akdom chup! Toke kidnap kore rape kore debo (Shut up! I will kidnap and rape you)”, he said.
Realising that there was no way out, the woman decided to jump off from the cab. The driver having sensed her move, tried to drag her inside the cab while hurling abuses. When she somehow managed to get out, the driver then put the car on reverse and came speeding towards her. She hurriedly jumped on the footpath and managed to save herself.
The woman filed a complaint with Uber and Bidhannagar North police station the next day. The driver, identified as Santu Pramanik, 28, has been arrested. He’s been charged for wrongful restraint, molestation and criminal intimidation, the police said. He was produced in court on Wednesday morning and remanded in 14 days’ jail custody .
Speaking on the matter Uber told India Today, “We have shared the driver and trip details with the police and will continue to support investigations as required. The driver has been blocked from using our platform. The background check conducted on the driver indicates no prior criminal record.”