Photo: AP Photo/Bikas Das
Controversy now surrounds Uber in India, after a woman accused a driver for the hitch-a-ride app of having raped her. The Uber driver was arrested, with protests against sexual violence subsequently breaking out in New Delhi, the country’s capital.
An Indian police report shows the woman declared she turned to Uber in order to get home (Guargon, about 90 miles/ 148 km from of the capital city) after having dined out on late Friday. The driver allegedly switched off his smartphone thus killing the Uber app altogether so he couldn’t be traced. This is where the story gets a bit odd, as the woman said she fell asleep and when she woke up, she discovered the driver had taken her to a remote area.
According to Time, the suspect, age 32, assaulted the woman, age 26, wit the police reporting she has been physically examined and shows signs of a “fierce sexual assault and rape”. The man had a clear criminal record.
The driver then took his alleged victim home, threatening to take even worse action is she went to the police. The woman managed to snap a photo of his car and got his license, providing evidence to the police. The man was subsequently arrested and is facing criminal charges in a New Delhi Court today.
Uber made a statement on its blog - “Our thoughts are with the victim of this terrible crime, and we are working with the police as they investigate. We will assist them in any way we can.”
Students started protesting at the New Delhi Police headquarters after the arrest, claiming the authorities are not making enough efforts to keep such crimes under control. The topic is a very sensitive one, as multiple rape case have affected India over the past two years, with more and more protests arising.
According to Time, the suspect, age 32, assaulted the woman, age 26, wit the police reporting she has been physically examined and shows signs of a “fierce sexual assault and rape”. The man had a clear criminal record.
The driver then took his alleged victim home, threatening to take even worse action is she went to the police. The woman managed to snap a photo of his car and got his license, providing evidence to the police. The man was subsequently arrested and is facing criminal charges in a New Delhi Court today.
Uber faces charges too
The woman wants Uber to be charged for not preventing this, insisting that the company could have alerted itself when noticing the GPS signal on the driver’s car was lost. It appears that the police will seek legal advice ahead of opting to go for civil or criminal charges.Uber made a statement on its blog - “Our thoughts are with the victim of this terrible crime, and we are working with the police as they investigate. We will assist them in any way we can.”
Students started protesting at the New Delhi Police headquarters after the arrest, claiming the authorities are not making enough efforts to keep such crimes under control. The topic is a very sensitive one, as multiple rape case have affected India over the past two years, with more and more protests arising.
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