Harass cuffs on app cabby for obscene behaviour

TNN, 5 March, KOLKATA: An Uber cab driver was arrested on Saturday for obscene behaviour in presence of a woman passenger.

The young professional was on the way to her south Kolkata home from the airport when she realised that the driver, identified as Avtar, was masturbating every time the cab stopped at a signal. The woman was petrified, but dared not to call up people for help. She feared that the driver would do something more drastic if he came to know that she was seeking assistance. Though she didn't press the SOS button on her mobile app, she informed colleagues over WhatsApp.

"I felt helpless as the car sped down EM Bypass. The only solace were the WhatsApp messages from my colleagues asking me to remain calm. It was they who informed the police," she said.

Her colleagues thanked the police for their prompt action. While Lalbazar Traffic Control alerted traffic guards along E M Bypass, officials from Jadavpur police station waited for the cab to reach the signal nearby.

"The passenger has lodged a complaint and the driver has been arrested. He has been charged under Section 509 of the IPC that deals with 'word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman'," an officer said.

"We have received the complaint and are probing the matter. Necessary action will be taken and the commuter will be informed," said Ashwin Dias, an Uber official.