A 19-year-old Rapido bike taxi rider in Maharashtra’s Kalyan was arrested for allegedly molesting a 26-year-old woman and stealing Rs 1,000 from her during a booked ride.
A 26-year-old woman was allegedly molested by a Rapido bike rider while she was on her way to a gym in Maharashtra’s Kalyan, police said on Monday, adding that the accused also stole Rs 1,000 from her.
The incident occurred on Saturday when the woman had booked a Rapido bike to go to her gym. When the driver reached the spot and picked her up, he took her to a desolate spot, grabbed her hand forcefully and allegedly molested her.
Police said rider Siddhesh Pardeshi (19), a class VII dropout, was arrested on Sunday following the incident. The accused even tried to rape the woman, but she screamed, following which locals rushed to the scene and rescued her.
“The accused picked up the victim from Chickenghar area after she booked a ride till her gym near Kalyan railway station at 7pm. Instead of proceeding to the intended destination, Pardeshi, who has been employed with Rapido for the last one-and-half months, diverted the scooter to a deserted, dark stretch near the police colony in Syndicate area,” Mahatma Phule police station senior inspector Baliramsingh Pardeshi said.
The locals caught and beat the Rapido driver, black and blue. On receiving information about the incident, police arrived at the spot and brought the situation under control.
“When the woman objected, he stopped the scooter, grabbed her hand and behaved in an indecent manner. He also snatched her purse and took Rs 1,000 from it. The woman raised an alarm, attracting local residents who thrashed Siddesh before handing him over to the police. We have also recovered a knife from the accused,” Pardeshi said.
Based on the woman’s complaint, a case was filed against the driver and further action was being taken.
He has been remanded in police custody till December 18, the official said, adding a probe is underway to find out if he has been involved in similar crimes earlier.
Meanwhile, an official from Kalyan Regional Transport Office (RTO) said a challan had been issued under Motor Vehicles Act in connection with the use of the two-wheeler as an unauthorised bike taxi.
The rider violated provisions of Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules 2025 by operating a conventional petrol-powered motorcycle instead of an electric two-wheeler, which is mandatory, an RTO official told PTI.
“Penal action has been initiated and a fine imposed under the Motor Vehicles Act. We have written to the local police to register a complaint against the bike taxi aggregator company for violating permit terms as per the new bike taxi rules,” he said.
