Woman accuses Rapido driver of watching explicit content mid ride, company issues apology

New Delhi: A woman’s post about a scary auto ride has started a big online conversation about safety for passengers.

Content creator Sukanya Dutta shared her experience on social media. She said her Rapido auto driver was watching inappropriate content on his phone while driving her from Safdarjung to Model Town.

She posted a video on Instagram explaining that the ride started around 8:48 PM.

What happened during the ride

Dutta said she did not notice what the driver was doing at first. Another woman riding a motorcycle next to the auto stopped at a red light and alerted her.

Dutta said the woman on the bike told her that the auto driver was watching inappropriate content on his phone. The driver quickly hid his phone after the woman on the bike confronted him.

Dutta said she then noticed the driver breathing heavily and touching himself inappropriately while she was sitting behind him.At that moment, she was still about 30 minutes away from her destination.

Dutta explained why she did not get out of the auto right away. She said the route was on a highway and she did not know the area.

She wrote, “I didn’t know the route well enough to get off safely, as it was mostly a highway, and I didn’t feel it was safe to confront him while I was alone in the auto. So I stayed. Because, in that moment, reaching a crowded, familiar place felt like the safer option.”

When she arrived at a safe, crowded spot, she confronted the driver, who was identified as Chotelal Kumar Yadav.

She said the driver did not deny it. Instead, he admitted he was watching foreign videos of women wearing revealing clothes.

Rapido issues an apology

After the video went viral, Rapido posted an apology to Dutta online.

The company wrote, “Hi Sukanya, the incident you have described is extremely concerning, and we regret the distress and discomfort you experienced due to the inappropriate behavior of the Captain. We also understand that not receiving timely support during such a critical situation can be extremely upsetting, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.”

“Customer safety is our utmost priority, and we have a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of unsafe or misconduct behavior by Captains. Such incidents are treated with the highest seriousness, and strict action will be initiated against the concerned Captain. Kindly share the specific Ride ID and your registered mobile number so that we can immediately review the details, and take the necessary action. We are committed to ensuring a safe and respectful experience for every customer and will address this concern with the seriousness,” Rapido added.

Driver blocked from the app

In a subsequent update, Rapido confirmed that the driver was permanently removed from its platform.

The company stated that following a detailed review of his unprofessional behavior, the driver was barred from taking future rides. Rapido also acknowledged Dutta’s concerns regarding the lack of timely support during the ride.

The company promised to review its safety response protocols to ensure faster and more effective help for passengers during emergencies, reiterating that customer safety, dignity, and respect remain its highest priorities.

Curated by- Ramansh Dhadwal