R Muthuraj, an Ola autorickshaw driver from the city, has found himself in serious trouble after a fit of rage led to his arrest by the Magadi Road police. Muthuraj was detained for slapping and threatening a college student who had cancelled her ride. He now faces spending the weekend in jail and will have to pay at least Rs 30,000 in legal fees to secure bail.
The incident was captured on the student’s mobile phone on Tuesday evening and quickly went viral. Many auto users criticized Muthuraj for his aggressive behavior toward commuters. He has been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 74, which deals with assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, and 352, which covers intentional insult to provoke a breach of peace. Muthuraj, a resident of Chikkalasandra, couldn’t get away with a simple station bail; instead, the police decided to present him in court to underscore the severity of his actions.
“This was an unacceptable act. The accused verbally abused and physically assaulted a young woman in broad daylight just because she cancelled a ride. Such behavior is intolerable, and we brought him before the court to highlight the seriousness of the offense. His judicial custody shows that the court is taking the matter seriously,” said a senior police officer.
Yesterday I faced severe harassment and was physically assaulted by your auto driver in Bangalore after a simple ride cancellation. Despite reporting, your customer support has been unresponsive. Immediate action is needed! @Olacabs @ola_supports @BlrCityPolice pic.twitter.com/iTkXFKDMS7
— Niti (@nihihiti) September 4, 2024
Muthuraj will remain in custody for at least four days before he can apply for bail. The costs for hiring a lawyer and other legal expenses are expected to exceed Rs 30,000, according to police sources. “He’ll need to wait until Monday to apply for bail, and even if it’s granted, the paperwork might not be completed until Tuesday or Wednesday,” an investigating officer noted.
Muthuraj admitted to losing his temper over the cancelled ride but could not justify his abusive and physical response. “The cost of the cancelled trip was likely only Rs 20-30, but now he faces expenses of over Rs 30,000 just to secure bail. If he had shown restraint, this situation could have been avoided,” the officer said.
C Mallikarjuna, additional commissioner of transport (enforcement), told the sources that a report from the RTO has been requested, and actions will be taken to suspend Muthuraj’s driving license and permit based on the report.
Transport commissioner Yogeesh AM added that there are no set rules for compensating ride cancellations through apps; it’s typically an arrangement between the ride aggregator and the passenger.
Ola has yet to respond to queries regarding their policy on ride cancellations or any actions taken against the driver.
