Bengaluru: A Rapido bike taxi driver was detained by Bengaluru police after a video of him slapping a woman commuter in Jayanagar went viral on social media. The incident, which initially drew outrage, took a twist after CCTV footage surfaced showing the woman allegedly hitting the rider first.
The driver, identified as Suhas, was booked under Sections 115(2), 352, and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to assault, attempted hurt, and use of obscene language in public. His vehicle number is KA-05-KJ-2897. He is currently in police custody as the investigation continues.
The altercation occurred three days ago near a footwear store in Jayanagar, where the woman, after allegedly confronting Suhas over rash driving, was physically assaulted. A viral video recorded by a bystander showed Suhas slapping the woman hard enough for her to fall to the ground, surrounded by onlookers.
BENGALURU: Rapido bike rider slaps customer as she allegedly questions him over rash driving and jumping signal. Incident occurred on June 14th in Jayanagar area of Bengaluru.
Jayanagar police are looking into the case.
INPUT: @Harishup pic.twitter.com/j8IbpvItT0— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) June 16, 2025
However, fresh CCTV footage obtained later appears to show the woman attacking the driver first during a heated exchange. This led to renewed scrutiny of the sequence of events and the initial assumptions around the case.
Suhas gave his account of the incident, stating that the rider had booked the trip from BTM Layout to Jayanagar around 9:00 a.m. He claimed that tensions arose when he took a shortcut through Jayanagar to avoid traffic, a route he said he regularly uses.
“She kept questioning my driving and even asked what I had studied, and whether I knew how to drive,” Suhas said. “When a car blocked the road, I stopped about 100 metres from her office. That’s when the confrontation escalated.”
He alleged the woman hit him with a tiffin box and struck him twice before he retaliated with a single slap. Suhas admitted to saying “Go back to your country,” but later clarified that he meant “state,” explaining his limited command of English. “I know we should not hit women,” he added. “But I lost my cool after being hit first. I even went to a nearby jewellery store to report her behavior, but couldn’t find the manager.”
According to the FIR, the woman initially hesitated to file a complaint. However, after the video went viral, her friends persuaded her to take legal action. She approached the Jayanagar Police Station and filed a formal complaint accusing the Rapido driver of rash driving, verbal abuse, and physical assault.
She stated that Suhas used obscene language and hit her in a public place after she confronted him for reckless driving and not following traffic rules. Jayanagar Police are examining both the bystander video and the new CCTV footage to establish the sequence of events. Police sources have confirmed that both parties may be questioned again as part of a detailed investigation into the incident.
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