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'Will make your life hell’: Bengaluru commuter alleges auto drivers ganged up on him for choosing Rapido
A commuter in Bengaluru alleged being harassed and threatened by a group of auto drivers at a metro station after booking a Rapido ride.
A commuter took to social media to allege harassment and intimidation by a group of auto drivers at a metro station after he chose to book a Rapido ride instead of taking an auto in Bengaluru. Sharing his experience in a Reddit post, the user described a tense and frightening encounter that quickly escalated into open threats and mob-like intimidation.
According to the post, as soon as he stepped out of the metro station and began booking a Rapido, an auto driver aggressively intervened, insisting him cancel the booking and ride with him instead. "Oi, book madbeda! Nane karkond hogtini, baa!" (Don’t book, I’ll take you), the driver allegedly said in a rowdy tone. The commuter ignored the demand and continued booking the ride. However, when the Rapido driver arrived, the situation escalated, with multiple auto drivers yelling in protest. One of them allegedly shouted, "Adeng hogbidtiya! Naanu nodtini!" (You’ll go with him? I’ll see you!), making it clear they were displeased.
Frustrated by the aggression, the commuter admitted to reacting by flipping them off—something he later described as a mistake. The reaction, however, provoked an even more alarming response. The same auto driver reportedly overtook the Rapido bike, blocked their way, and began issuing direct threats. Soon, a group of auto drivers and two men on scooters surrounded them, with the hostility escalating to chilling threats.
The user claimed that the group threatened physical harm, warning, "We will cut your hand off." They allegedly went on to say, "If we make up our minds, we’ll make your life hell," and even threatened the commuter’s mobility in the city by stating, "You won’t be able to walk in this city." Another disturbing claim was that the group showed little fear of law enforcement, allegedly declaring, "Even if you know the DC, SP, nothing will happen to us. We are locals, we’ll wreck havoc."
Alarmed, the commuter immediately called 112 for police assistance. He credited the emergency call for preventing further escalation. However, when the police followed up, the response was unexpected. Instead of focusing solely on controlling the aggression, the officers allegedly reprimanded the commuter for his reaction. "When the police called back, instead of just controlling the situation, they scolded me for showing my middle finger (which is fair, but also… the heckling?),” the post read.
What troubled the commuter further was the apparent familiarity between the police and the auto drivers. According to the post, the officers casually advised the drivers to leave the commuter alone, but not before allegedly saying, "Yerad bitt kalsi." (Hit him and send him away).
Take a look at the post:
The post has since sparked widespread discussion on Reddit.
A user wrote, “They might be all rowdy, but their brain is smaller than their pea sized.”
Another suggested, “Man, that's a bad situation to be in. Put this on X and tag some of the cops and bigger handles along with TV9 Kanada. Let there be a wider audience to this ongoing situation.”
HT.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post.
