Bike taxi rider molests, robs woman passenger in Maharashtra; arrested

Maharashtra police have detained a 19-year-old bike taxi driver after he allegedly molested a female passenger and attempted to rob her on a secluded road in Kalyan on Saturday evening. The accused, who had recently joined the service, has been remanded in police custody until December 18.

The incident reportedly occurred when the woman, 26, had booked a ride to reach her gym near Kalyan railway station. Authorities said the driver diverted the route, assaulted her, and stole cash before being apprehended by local residents.

Passenger’s complaint

In her official complaint, the woman said she booked a bike taxi around 7 PM from the Chickenghar area to travel to her gym. The ride was accepted by the driver, identified as 19-year-old Siddhesh, who picked her up from her residence.

Instead of taking her to the intended location, Siddhesh allegedly led the scooter onto a dark, isolated road near the police colony in the Syndicate area. According to the FIR, the rider stopped the vehicle, grabbed the woman’s hand, and “behaved in an indecent manner,” leaving her mentally distressed and humiliated.

The accused reportedly took Rs 1,000 from the woman’s purse. Upon raising an alarm, local residents rushed to the scene and overpowered him before handing him over to the Mahatma Phule police station.

Knife recovered, accused identified

Senior Inspector Baliramsingh Pardeshi of the Mahatma Phule police station confirmed that a knife was recovered from Siddhesh during the investigation. “We have also recovered a knife from the accused, who has been identified as Siddhesh Pardeshi, a class 7 dropout from Kalyan's Chadakpada area,” he said.

Siddhesh was presented before a holiday court following his arrest, which ordered him to remain in police custody until December 18.

Rapido denies any connection

Earlier reports linked the accused to bike taxi platform Rapido. The company later clarified that Siddhesh was never employed by them.

“We are aware of the extremely disturbing incident reported from Kalyan (Maharashtra) and appreciate the swift action taken by the police in apprehending the accused. The nature of the allegations is deeply concerning, and our thoughts remain with the victim and their family during this difficult time,” a company spokesperson told The Daily Jagran.

The spokesperson added, “We reiterate, with absolute clarity: the accused has no affiliation with Rapido and has never been part of our captain fleet. His earlier rejection underscores the importance of stringent compliance across the industry. We urge all mobility platforms to strengthen due diligence and ensure that only verified and compliant individuals are allowed to operate for public service.”