Kolkata: Uber driver molests and chases after female passenger, arrested

An Uber driver was arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly molesting a passenger in the suburbs of Kolkata. 

The driver, identified as Santu Pramanik, reportedly started manhandling the woman at around 10 pm near the deserted Salt Lake AE Block. Pramanik started pulling the woman's hand when he noticed no one was around. Somehow, the lady managed to open the door of the cab and tried fleeing.

The driver chased after her. He got out of the cab and tried to pull her back inside. She pushed him to the ground and started running. The driver chased her and tried to run over her but failed. Eventually, the driver fled after he could not trace her any further once she entered a park. 

The following day, the woman filed a complaint with the Bidhannagar North Police Station. The police slapped charges of molestation against the accused and later arrested him. 

On Wednesday, he was produced before the court and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

“Right from the moment my friend got down the cab at Beleghata, his activities came under suspicion. The standoff started when took the cab through dark, narrow lanes and bylanes. Despite raising an alarm as to why he was not taking the main road, he began rash driving and hurled abuses at me. When I asked him not to abuse me, he became violent and started pulling my hand,” said the victim. 

The victim claimed that there were no visible police outposts or PCR vans in the entire stretch, which could be reached or contacted in times of trouble.