A late-evening bike-taxi ride in Kalyan took a terrifying turn for a 26-year-old woman on Saturday when the rider allegedly diverted her journey, molested her, and robbed her of cash before being overpowered by neighbours and arrested by police.
The accused, 19-year-old Siddhesh Pardeshi, was arrested on Sunday by the Mahatma Phule police in Kalyan following the incident, which occurred around 7 pm when the woman had booked a bike taxi from the Chickenghar area to her gym near Kalyan railway station.
Incident and Arrest
According to police sources, instead of taking the passenger to her intended destination, the rider diverted the bike to a deserted and poorly lit stretch near the police colony in the Syndicate area.
When the woman objected, the accused allegedly stopped the bike, grabbed her hand and behaved indecently, and snatched Rs 1,000 from her purse.
The woman raised an alarm, attracting the attention of nearby residents who intervened swiftly, overpowered the accused, and handed him over to the police. A knife was also recovered from him, officials said.
Siddhesh has been remanded to police custody until December 18 while further investigations continue, including probing whether he has any history of similar offences.
Clarification from Rapido
Early media reports linked the accused to bike-taxi platform Rapido. However, the company has issued an official statement clarifying that the individual has never been and was never part of the Rapido platform.
Rapido said he had applied to join but failed the company’s pre-onboarding background checks and was never onboarded as a captain.
Rapido’s statement added that authorities confirmed the complainant had booked her ride on a different platform, not Rapido, and reiterated the company’s commitment to passenger safety, including background verification, KYC checks, and in-app safety features.
“We would like to clarify that the accused was not and has never been associated with Rapido, as he had failed our mandatory pre-onboarding background checks,” A Rapido spokesperson said
Response from Police and Transport Authorities
The Mahatma Phule police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and are examining trip details, including the route taken and the driver’s background. They have assured strict action against the accused.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Transport Department is reviewing compliance by bike-taxi aggregators after issuing temporary licences to operators such as Rapido, Uber and Ola.
Officials have sought explanations from these companies on regulatory adherence, and the State Transport Authority is set to decide on violations in the coming days.
Ongoing Safety Concerns
The incident has once again underscored ongoing concerns about women’s safety in app-based transport services, particularly during night-time travel on two-wheeler taxis.
Safety advocates continue to call for stronger safeguards, rigorous driver verification, real-time monitoring and prompt emergency responses to protect commuters.
Police have advised commuters, especially women, to share their live locations with trusted contacts, verify driver and vehicle details before starting a trip, and immediately use emergency helplines or in-app SOS features if they feel threatened.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This incident is a sobering reminder that women’s safety in public spaces-especially while using emerging mobility services-remains a pressing concern.
What stands out is the survivor’s presence of mind, the courage to raise an alarm, and the decisive intervention by local residents, which prevented the situation from worsening.
Their actions reinforce the power of community vigilance and collective responsibility in moments of crisis.
