A video showing an incident of harassment not only towards an Uber passenger but also towards the driver whose bike was booked via the app is going viral on social media. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), user Thomas Simte shared a video on Thursday showing local auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru harassing him, pulling his backpack and demanding he cancel his ride. In the caption, he said that the incident took place near Indiranagar Metro station. In the clip, Mr Smite repeatedly asks, "why are you harassing this person? Let me go, if people want to take an Uber, they will take Uber; if people want to take an auto, they will take auto; if you want to go to the police station, it's right here."
Sharing the video on X, he wrote, "Getting harassed if we take @Uber_India bikes or Auto, instead of the regular rickshaw. This happened to me in Indiranagar Metro station."
Take a look below:
Getting harassed if we take @Uber_India bikes or Auto, instead of the regular rickshaw. This happened to me in Indiranagar Metro station @BangaloreMirror@BlrCityPolice@blrcitytraffic@TOIBengaluru@TodayBangalore@THBengaluru@Uber_Support@UberIN_Support@[email protected]/yjhMApEBGq
— Thomas Simte (@Thomasandwords) July 25, 2024
In the video, the Uber bike driver and his passenger are subjected to abuse and threats. The local auto-rickshaw drivers kept insisting he cancel the booking, while another attempted to slap the maker of the video. The clip ended abruptly when someone smacked his camera.
"I am not exaggerating when I say this happens everyday to these riders. He pulled my bag from behind to get me down the bike. I want strict action against this harassment of passengers and of riders if they take Uber or any other mode of transport other than the bystanders," Mr Smite wrote in the following post.
As the video gained traction on the micro-blogging site, it caught the attention of Bengaluru City Police. "Please share your contact number via DM. In case of distress/ emergency situation, dial #Namma 112,"police responded.
"Yes, please I don't want anyone else to face this issue. There was no traffic police nearby Indiranagar Metro Station. Please make sure more safety to the Uber riders and keep vigilance near auto stand areas," wrote Mr Smite.
Also read | Bengaluru Police Arrest Biker Gang Who Attacked Moving Car On Flyover In Viral Video
Uber India's official handle also replied to the post saying, "This is concerning, Thomas. Such behavior is unacceptable, and we prioritize your safety above all else. Kindly send your registered Uber account contact details along with the trip details through Direct Message, and our safety team will contact you shortly."
The incident sparked a discussion on social media. "Don't think anyone is jumping to conclusions. Vdo is available, faces of miscreants are visible. If the police want to take action they need not wait for an official complaint or ask the victim to call them. Police just need to find those miscreants and take legal action," wrote one user.
"The police pretends that it knows nothing.If action is to be taken on an every day occurrence at a metro station why ask for contact number?" commented a third.
"Proper actions should be taken against those auto drivers, who are not even in their uniforms. No bike taxi riders should be harmed until high court orders are finalised. This is condemn of court orders," expressed another user.