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‘Threat to life’: Manipur student alleges harassment by cab driver in Delhi
The student was allegedly made to wait for seven hours after which only minor charges were filed, granting easy bail to the accused
A student from Manipur has accused Delhi police officials of taking her harassment complaint against a cab driver and allegedly offering the man an "easy path to bail", reported news agency PTI.
The 19-year-old Delhi University student was travelling to ISBT her rented house near North Campus, on October 5, at 11.10 pm. During the ride, the cab driver from an online cab aggregator would constantly ask uncomfortable questions.
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She claimed that the driver held her against her will and drove to an isolated location with an intent to rape her.
When she resisted the drivers advances, he even threatened to kill her.
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The girl somehow managed to escape and promptly approached the police, however, their response was not helpful in the least. She alleged that she had to wait for seven hours to lodge her complaint.
"When I reached out to the North-Eastern State Helpline of Delhi Police, instead of offering immediate support, they merely redirected me to the nearest police station. Then, I went to Model Town Police Station, hoping for swift action. However, I faced shocking indifference and a lack of urgency from the police", she said.
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An FIR was lodged on Monday under section 127 (2) (wrongful confinement) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Vinod, the cab driver.
He was arrested and got bail on the same day, the girl said.
"Despite a clear and serious threat to my life, the FIR that was eventually filed included only minor charges, allowing the culprit an easy path to bail. The lenient handling of the case and the failure to take immediate, necessary actions are deeply concerning," she told PTI.
In her appeal to the special commissioner, she said that the cab driver who came to pick her up was a different person than was shown online. The girl added that the cab driver knew her residential locality which posed a threat to her safety and asked the police to provide protection.
A senior police officer told PTI they have received the complaint and are looking into the matter.
