The Kochi City police have launched a probe to trace a driver attached to cab aggregator Ola who allegedly misbehaved with a woman passenger and slapped her on Tuesday night.
Aveta Thampatty, a native of Mavelikara and currently residing in Bengaluru, availed herself of an Ola cab service to travel from Lulu Mall to Panampilly Nagar at 8.45 p.m. When she was dropped off at her place half-an-hour later, the driver asked her to make the payment in cash.
The driver wanted the passenger to pay ₹247, the taxi fare in cash. The passenger, however, said she had already paid the money through the Ola Money Smart Card.
Following this, the driver turned unruly and began hurling abuses at the passenger.
As she attempted capturing the video of the driver abusing her, he turned towards her and slapped on her face.
Based on a complaint lodged by the woman, the Ernakulam South police have registered a case under Section 354 IPC (Assault or criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty) against the driver, identified as K.B. Vinu.
“We have traced the accused’s location and he will soon be taken into custody,’’ said Sibi Tom, Circle Inspector of Police, Ernakulam South.
Meanwhile, the complainant narrated the whole incident on a Facebook post which has now gone viral.
