Bengaluru commuter alleges threats by auto drivers for choosing Rapido ride

A Bengaluru commuter has been harassed and threatened by a group of auto drivers at a metro station after he chose to book a Rapido ride instead of taking an auto. Sharing his ordeal in a Reddit post, he described a tense and intimidating confrontation that began the moment he exited the station. 

Also Read: Bengaluru resident falls victim to ride-hailing scam, money refunded by Rapido

According to his account, one of the auto drivers aggressively tried to stop him from booking a Rapido, demanding that he cancel the ride with him instead. Despite the pressure, the commuter went ahead with his booking. The situation quickly escalated when the Rapido driver arrived, as a group of auto drivers began yelling in a protest. One even shouted, “You’ll go with him ? I’ll see you !” in a threatening tone. 

Frustrated and scared, the commuter admitted to reacting by showing them the middle finger, an action  he later regretted. This triggered a more serious backlash. The same auto driver reportedly blocked their way and issued direct threats. Soon, more auto drivers and two men on scooters joined in, surrounding the Rapido bike and issuing chilling threats. Among them were statements like, “We will cut your hand off,” “You won’t be able to walk in this city” and “Even if you know top officials, nothing will happen to us.”

Feeling endangered, the commuter dialed the emergency number 112. He credits this move for preventing the situation from spiraling further. However, he was taken aback when the police, instead of solely addressing the aggressive behavior of the drivers, reprimanded him for his reaction. What disturbed him more was the seemingly casual relationship between the police and the auto drivers. One officer allegedly told the group, “Hit him and send him away,” before advising them to let the commuter go. 

The post has sparked significant discussion online, with many expressing outrage over the behavior of the drivers and the police’s response. One commenter  wrote, “They might be rowdy, but their brain is smaller than a pea.” Another urged the commuter to take the issue to a broader platform: “Put this on X and tag some of the cops and bigger handles along with TV9 Kannada. Let there be a wider audience to this ongoing situation.”