BENGALURU: A terrifying incident occurred on Thursday night in East Bengalur when a 30-year-old woman jumped from a moving auto-rickshaw in order to escape a driver she believed was intoxicated. The woman had booked the ride through the Namma Yatri app from Horamavu to her home in Thanisandra, but her journey took a dangerous turn.

As the driver deviated from the planned route, heading towards an unfamiliar destination, the woman’s sense of danger heightened. Her husband, Azhar Khan, shared her harrowing experience on social media, alerting the Bengaluru city police. He described how the driver picked her up around 8:52 PM, but soon after started heading towards Hebbal instead of the correct path. Even as she pleaded for him to stop, he ignored her requests, prompting her to make the split-second decision to leap from the vehicle when it slowed down at a down ramp near Nagavara.

Fortunately, the woman escaped without injuries despite the risky circumstances. After jumping out, she reported that the driver attempted to persuade her to return to the vehicle, but she paid for the ride online and took another auto-rickshaw home. Khan mentioned, “My wife sensed that the driver was drunk, as his eyes were red.” Initial fears prevented her from filing an official complaint, but after receiving attention from the police following her husband's post on X, she has decided to pursue action.

This incident comes amid ongoing discussions about women's safety during late-night commutes in Bangalore, raising questions about the reliability of transport services. Khan emphasized the importance of vigilance, stating, “This is a grave issue concerning women’s safety. If this can happen to my wife at 9 PM, imagine how many other women face similar situations while traveling late at night.” The incident has prompted a renewed focus on rider safety protocols and support from ride-sharing services like Namma Yatri.

For more details on the original report, you can read about the incident on India Times.