A taxi ride meant for a routine doctor’s appointment turned into a terrifying ordeal for a Delhi woman who claimed she was physically assaulted by her Uber driver and did not receive immediate help from the apron or the police. Her account gained attention only after she described the incident in a viral social media post, prompting authorities to respond.
Bharati Chaturvedi — environmental activist and founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group — was traveling from Vasant Vihar to Sarvodaya Enclave on Wednesday when the alleged attack took place. She shared her experience on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, writing: “Today I was assaulted for the first time in my life.”
Chaturvedi, who was already out of breath due to dangerous levels of pollution in Delhi, which she said was aggravating her asthma, claimed that the driver stopped far from the designated drop-off point and became increasingly hostile when asked to follow the correct route. He then allegedly drove around a curve and veered into an off lane, refusing to stop. When she tried to get out of the vehicle, he “reached one hand over the steering wheel and twisted my arm,” she wrote.
Frightened but determined, she opened the door and got out. What happened next, she said, was just as troubling — emergency calls went unanswered.
According to Chaturvedi, she dialed 100 and approached Uber Safety, but neither offered help when she needed it most. She added that the driver taunted her and told her to “go ahead and call the police”, allegedly realizing that no immediate help was coming. She eventually found the car and continued to the meeting.
Chaturvedi said it was only after she posted the incident online that both Uber and the Delhi Police got in touch. While she described her injury as “minor pain, major anger,” she questioned the systemic failures that left her vulnerable. “We are not safe,” she wrote. “We cannot outsource our security to companies whose priorities are profits and scale.”
The reaction of society and the police
In a statement released after her post went viral, Uber said: “This behavior is a clear violation of Uber’s community guidelines, and the driver has been removed from the Uber app.”
The company added that its in-app SOS button connects users directly to law enforcement and should be used in emergency situations requiring immediate intervention.
The South Delhi DCP also acknowledged the complaint against X and confirmed that an investigation is underway and “appropriate legal action” will be taken based on the findings.
Mint has also sought further comments from Chaturvedi and is awaiting a response.
