Supreme Court advocate Dr. Saif Mahmood has reported a shocking incident in which an Ola driver allegedly glorified violence and threatened Muslim passengers during a ride in New Delhi. The complaint raises concerns about communal harassment and passenger safety on cab-hailing platforms.
Driver Boasted About Violence Against Muslims
In a letter to Ola CEO Bhavish Agarwal, Mahmood described how the driver, whose name appeared as Shri Ram on the app, boasted about beating Muslim passengers during separate incidents. According to Mahmood, the driver targeted passengers because of their religion and food habits, openly glorifying violence and claiming that such actions were justified.
“He recounted an incident in which he brutally assaulted a Muslim passenger for eating non-vegetarian food in his vehicle. Others at a dhaba joined in, and he boasted about breaking the man’s legs,” Mahmood said. “He narrated the episode with striking pride, glorifying violence at every step.”
In another instance, the driver described assaulting a passenger in Noida, again highlighting the victim’s Muslim identity and claiming that the Uttar Pradesh government was justified in ‘teaching them a lesson.’ Mahmood said the narration appeared deliberately aimed at intimidating him due to his faith.
Mahmood Questions Ola’s Policies
The advocate demanded that Ola clarify its non-discrimination and passenger safety policies and explain what safeguards are in place to prevent drivers from targeting specific communities.
“These were not random or careless comments,” Mahmood wrote. “The driver intentionally used his stories to scare me by repeatedly praising religious violence and approving of revenge by the masses.”
Ola Suspends Driver, But Questions Remain
Ola responded by suspending the driver from its platform. A standard email from the company read:
“We are sorry you had such an unpleasant experience in the Ola ride… We try to make our customer’s travel experience easy and enjoyable, and in this case, we clearly fell short. We have suspended the driver in question from the Ola platform for their unsafe behavior. Your safety is our top priority.”
Mahmood said the response was inadequate, noting that Ola did not clarify whether the suspension was temporary or permanent, nor did it explain how the company enforces its non-discrimination policies.
“When I told the supervisor about the legal action I would take, he just said, ‘You can take legal action.’ So I am,” Mahmood told The Wire.
Pattern of Communal Harassment
The incident is not isolated. Reports from Lucknow and earlier cases documented by media outlets, including The Quint, indicate drivers refusing service to Muslim passengers or making Islamophobic remarks. One passenger in Lucknow recounted being harassed alongside her mother, with the driver warning that he could prevent them from ever booking taxis again.
Mahmood said, “The driver may or may not have even done the things he claimed, but his intent was clear—to scare me. People will get scared of even getting a cab ride if such instances keep repeating.”
