Taxi driver harasses Manipuri student released on bail, victim calls out Delhi Police-The Week

New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) A 19-year-old Delhi University student from Manipur has accused police officials here of treating her harassment complaint against a taxi driver leniently and offering the man an “easy avenue to get bail “.
She alleged that the driver of an online taxi aggregator company held her hostage and drove to a secluded spot with the intention of raping her, but she somehow managed to escape. The woman alleged that when she reached a police station to file her complaint, she had to wait for seven hours.
“Despite a clear and serious threat to my life, the FIR that was eventually filed included only minor charges, allowing the perpetrator to be easily released on bail. The lenient handling of the case and the inability to take immediate, necessary action are very worrying. she told PTI.
In her complaint to the Special Commissioner, she said that the taxi driver who came to pick her up was a different person as shown in the online portal.
A senior police official said he had received the complaint and was investigating the matter.
Based on her complaint, an FIR under Section 127 (2) (wrongful confinement) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was lodged against Vinod, the taxi driver, at the Model Town police station on Monday. He was arrested and granted bail the same day, she said.
According to the FIR, the incident took place when the woman was traveling to ISBT from her rented accommodation near Delhi University North Campus on October 5 at 11.10 pm. The taxi driver took the student to a secluded place to ‘rape’ her. However, when she fought back, he threatened her with a knife and said: “It would be too easy for me to kill you in two minutes”.
Speaking to PTI, she said Vinod asked her personal questions during the ride, which made her feel uncomfortable. When he took a different route, she became suspicious.
“Somehow I managed to get out of the car and run,” she said.
“When I contacted the North-Eastern State Helpline of Delhi Police, instead of providing immediate assistance, I was merely referred to the nearest police station. I then went to Model Town Police Station, hoping for swift action. However, I have been met with shocking indifference and a lack of urgency from the police,” she said.
She said the taxi driver knows her residential location, which poses a threat to her safety.
“That is why the police must guarantee my safety,” she said.
In her complaint to the special commissioner, she said she found that the person driving the taxi was not the official driver as his details did not match those on the online portal. The taxi was owned by another person, the designated driver was a different person and the suspect was neither of the two, but a third unknown and unverified person, she added in her complaint.
She said the taxi aggregator should also look into the matter.