The victim alleged that he got punched soon after he said he would complain of the driver’s unruly behaviour on the smartphone application. (Representative Image) The victim alleged that he got punched soon after he said he would complain of the driver’s unruly behaviour on the smartphone application. (Representative Image)

In an untoward incident involving cab drivers in Bengaluru, a 23-year-old software engineer was allegedly assaulted by an Uber driver after an argument over fare got unruly in the outskirts of the city.

According to the victim, the incident took place on Thursday after he questioned the driver who demanded more fare to ferry him to the Kempegowda International Airport than what he had booked the cab for, in advance.

This led to the argument which escalated soon as the driver allegedly punched the customer leaving him bleeding from his nose.

A case has been filed in Mahadevapura police station and the accused has been charged under sections 323 (assault), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code.

“The argument began when the driver asked the victim to cancel the trip, if he would not comply with his demands, which the customer denied. As the customer said he would be fined for doing so, the driver went behind the vehicle and started throwing the luggage, which was loaded on the ground, according to the statement recorded,” a police official from the station told indianexpress.com

The official added that the victim alleged that he got punched soon after he said he would complain of the driver’s unruly behaviour on the smartphone application.

The police also said that the victim has sustained a nasal bone dislocation.

“He was, hence not allowed to board the flight to Kolkata for Durga Puja, even after reaching the Bengaluru Airport on-time boarding another cab,” police added.

An investigation is underway and the police are yet to find the driver, identified as Harish K S, who is absconding since then.

However, the cab aggregator has confirmed that the driver has been suspended with his access to the online platform removed on the basis of the complaint.

“The safety of our riders is paramount and upon learning of this incident, we removed the driver-partner’s access to the app,” an Uber spokesperson confirmed.

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