Three women arrested for allegedly assaulting and trying to disrobe Kochi Uber driver

The women had opted for cab sharing but later wanted the cab for themselves.

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Three women were arrested by the Kadavanthra police in Kochi on Wednesday for allegedly thrashing and trying to undress an Uber driver, reports Times of India.

The women had opted for cab sharing but later wanted the cab for themselves. However, when the driver Shefeeq refused to push out an already seated passenger, they allegedly beat him up.

The women have been identified as Angel Mary (36) and Clara Shibin 28, both hailing from Alakode in Kannur and Sheeja Afsal (30) from Pathanamthitta. The incident took place around noon near Vytila.

“The women opted for cab sharing. But then demanded to evict the passenger who was already seated. When he refused one of the women knocked the car door with noise. Then the driver came out of the car and questioned it. One of the women beat him using hands and a stone. The other women also slapped him on his face,” Maradu police told TNM.

The driver said that he was riding with a youth who had opted for car sharing and boarded the car at Shenoy’s junction.

“The women had booked availing the sharing option. They mentioned the number of passengers as two. But three of them had showed up at their pick up point near Vytilla. They wanted me to expel the male passenger,” the report quotes the driver as saying.

One of them also attempted to remove his dhoti.

The driver said that when he told them to cancel the ride if they had mistakenly opted for cab sharing, they abused him.

They said that they should get the cab that they had booked and started assaulting me.

“One of them tried to remove my dhoti while another one hit me on the head with a rock. I suffered scratches on my face and they even bit my arm." said the driver, adding that he was assaulted in full public view and was taken to the hospital by passersby.

Police said, “It all happened in public view. The local people who were at the spot gathered near the cab and questioned the women. We reached after being alerted by the local people and arrested the women.”

They were subjected to medical examination, where it was found that they were not under the influence of alcohol.

Police took the statement of the driver at the General Hospital where he was taken after he got injured.

The women were booked under section 324 of IPC for voluntarily causing hurt by weapons or means.

Sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 294 B (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place) were also imposed on them.

They were later released on bail.

The women told the police that they have been working in the serial industry.

ToI report quotes an Uber spokesperson as saying, “What has been described is totally unacceptable. Violence in any form is against the spirit of our community guidelines. We have barred the riders from accessing the app.”