R Muthuraj, an Ola auto rickshaw driver from Bengaluru, was arrested after he slapped and threatened a girl student following a ride cancellation on Thursday, September 5.
The altercation, which took place near Magadi Road, sparked outrage after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
The video, recorded by the student herself using her mobile phone, shows Muthura angrily confronting the girl for canceling the ride and slapping her during the argument.
Magadi Road police arrested the driver under Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
Following the police complaint, Muthuraj, a resident of Chikkalasandra, was remanded in judicial custody for four days and now will have to incur at least Rs 30,000 in legal expenses before he can secure a bail.
Police Action and Charges
“This was an outrageous act. The accused verbally abused and physically assaulted a young woman in broad daylight because she canceled a ride. Such behavior is completely unacceptable. Presenting him in court highlighting the seriousness of the offense,” a senior police official said.
Muthuraj will remain in custody until at least Monday, with his bail application and paperwork likely to take an additional day or two. He admitted to losing his temper but couldn’t justify his actions, stating that the fuel cost for the canceled ride was minimal compared to the consequences he now faces.
Meanwhile, the incident sparked widespread outrage on social media, with users expressing frustration with both the driver and the ride-hailing platform, Ola. One Twitter user, Dev Infosys, defended the driver’s frustration, stating:
“As he is an auto wala and got angry, all the fault is with him only. Customers often cancel the rides after the driver arrives from far to the pickup location. Drivers’ effort, time, and fuel are wasted when rides are canceled.”
On the other hand, another user, Subhash Rohra, highlights frequent cancellations by Ola drivers themselves:
“Ola auto drivers cancel rides after accepting bookings. They call and ask whether you’re paying by cash or wallet, and if you say cash, they accept the booking. If not, they cancel the ride. Does Ola penalize such drivers?”
The broader issue of ride cancellations, unfair service charges, driver’s behavior, and issue of female’s safety was a recurring pattern among most users’ comments. Vikrant, another user, commented:
“Taking an auto or cab in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, or Bengaluru is dangerous. Many drivers don’t behave well. I was working in Bangalore for three months and mostly avoided autos, relying on the metro instead.”
Other users blamed the government for creating a hostile environment for non-Kannada speakers in Bengaluru. One comment read:
“Bengaluru is not livable today, especially for northies and Hindi-speaking people. Thanks to divisive politics, the environment in Bengaluru has become hostile for outsiders.”
Action Against the Driver
C Mallikarjuna, additional commissioner of transport (enforcement), confirmed that the transport department has sought a report from the jurisdictional Regional Transport Office (RTO) on the incident.
“We will initiate action to suspend the driver’s licence and permit once we receive the report,” he said.
Despite multiple inquiries from The Times of India, Ola did not respond regarding its policy on ride cancellations or any potential actions against the driver involved.
Transport Commissioner Yogeesh AM clarified that no formal fee is fixed by the department to compensate for ride cancellations.
“It is an understanding between the aggregator and the passenger who books a ride through the app,” he said.
The incident has drawn attention to the broader issue of the strained relationship between ride-hailing services, drivers, and commuters.
The event also raises questions about the role of companies like Ola, Uber in monitoring and penalizing inappropriate behavior by their drivers, meanwhile, ensuring safety of all female commuters.
