The driver of an online taxi service has been accused of physically assaulting a woman passenger following a tiff over payment.
The Bengaluru-based woman was allegedly slapped on the face and showered with verbal abuses by the Ola driver after the duo had an argument over payment through cash. The incident happened when the woman tried to pay electronically through her e-wallet.
Aveta Thampatty, a native of Mavelikkara and a resident of Bengaluru, had hailed the Ola cab to travel from Lulu Mall to Panampilly Nagar at around 8.45pm on Tuesday.
“The driver wanted the woman to pay Rs 247, the fare in cash. The woman who had money in her e-wallet (Ola money smart card) however didn’t have liquid cash with her,” said a police official. The altercation started when the women asked the driver to approach Ola support team in case he wanted a clarification.
“I had already paid by Ola wallet and I didn’t have cash. This guy started accusing me and when I raised my voice, he slapped me on my face. Kerala is very unsafe to travel. He was showering abusive words on me. Really helpless situation,” Aveta, who is working as a digital marketing manager posted on Facebook.
Police said that the woman asked the driver to end the trip as it was getting late but he refused. The driver used abusive words in Malayalam. When the woman tried to capture his video, he slapped her on the face, police said.
The woman lodged a complaint with the Ernakulam South station on Wednesday morning following which a case under section 354 IPC (assault or criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty) was registered against the accused driver K B Vinu. Ola responded to the complaint stating that the company has zero tolerance towards such behaviour and they had suspended the driver soon after the social media post was made.
