Bengaluru Auto-Rickshaw Drivers Threaten, Harass Passenger for Taking Uber Bike | VIDEO

Bengaluru: A video showing harassment towards an Uber passenger and the driver has gone viral on social media. 

On Thursday, Thomas Simte posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing local auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru mistreating him and demanding him to cancel his Uber ride and take a local auto instead.

Local Auto Drivers Harass Driver for Taking Uber Bike | VIDEO

The incident occurred near Indiranagar Metro station. In the video, Simte repeatedly asks, "Why are you harassing this person? Let me go, if people want to take an Uber, they will take Uber; if people want to take an auto, they will take auto; if you want to go to the police station, it's right here."

Simte wrote in his post, “Getting harassed if we take @Uber_India bikes or Auto, instead of the regular rickshaw. This happened to me in Indiranagar Metro station.”

The video shows the Uber bike driver and his passenger facing abuse and threats from the local auto-rickshaw drivers. The drivers insisted Simte cancel his Uber booking, and one even tried to slap him. The video ended abruptly when someone hit the camera.

"I am not exaggerating when I say this happens every day to these riders. He pulled my bag from behind to get me down the bike. I want strict action against this harassment of passengers and riders if they take Uber or any other mode of transport other than the bystanders," Simte said in a follow-up post.

Uber India and Local Police Respond Amid Public Outcry

The video quickly caught the attention of Bengaluru City Police. They responded, "Please share your contact number via DM. In case of distress/emergency situation, dial #Namma 112."

Simte replied, "Yes, please I don't want anyone else to face this issue. There was no traffic police nearby Indiranagar Metro Station. Please make sure more safety to the Uber riders and keep vigilance near auto stand areas."

Uber India's official account also responded, “This is concerning, Thomas. Such behavior is unacceptable, and we prioritize your safety above all else.”

After the video got viral, it brought attention to safety issues in Bangalore. One user commented, “The streets aren’t safe. Auto drivers harass the public daily, and I witness fights involving them roughly twice a week on my way to work. Why is nothing changing? Please help.”

Another user questioned the effectiveness of local police, he wrote on X, “The increasing number of such incidents and the lack of action against auto drivers suggest that @BlrCityPolice may not know how to address these problems.”

A third user expressed frustration with the police response, stating, “The police seem to pretend they know nothing. If action is needed for frequent incidents at a metro station, why are we being asked for contact numbers?”