NEW DELHI: A 19-year-old student from Manipur, studying at Delhi University, has accused the police of handling her harassment complaint against a cab driver with leniency and providing the accused with an “easy path to bail”.
The student claimed that the driver, who was associated with an online cab aggregator company, held her hostage and drove to an isolated location with the intention of raping her, but she managed to escape.She alleged that when she reached the police station to file her complaint, she was made to wait for seven hours.
“Despite a clear and serious threat to my life, the FIR that was eventually filed included only minor charges, allowing the culprit an easy path to bail. The lenient handling of the case and the failure to take immediate, necessary actions are deeply concerning,” she told PTI.
In her complaint to the special commissioner, she mentioned that the cab driver who arrived to pick her up was not the same person as shown on the online portal. A senior police officer stated that they have received the complaint and are investigating the matter.
An FIR was registered on Monday under sections 127 (2) (wrongful confinement) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Model Town Police Station against Vinod, the cab driver. He was arrested and released on bail the same day, according to the student.
The incident occurred on October 5 at 11:10 pm when the woman was travelling from her rented accommodation near Delhi University North Campus to ISBT. The cab driver took her to an isolated location with the intention of raping her. When she fought back, he threatened her with a blade, saying, “It would be too easy for me to kill you in two minutes”.
The student told PTI that during the ride, Vinod asked her personal questions, which made her uncomfortable, and when he took a different route, it raised her suspicions. She managed to escape from the car and flee.
“When I reached out to the North-Eastern State Helpline of Delhi Police, instead of offering immediate support, they merely redirected me to the nearest police station. Then, I went to Model Town Police Station, hoping for swift action. However, I faced shocking indifference and a lack of urgency from the police”, she said.
The student expressed concern for her safety, as the cab driver knows her residential locality. She urged the police to ensure her safety.
In her complaint to the special commissioner, she mentioned that the person driving the cab was not the official driver, as his details did not match the information provided on the online portal. The cab was owned by a different person, the designated driver was another individual, and the accused was a third unknown and unverified person. She also stated that the cab aggregator should investigate the matter.