Rapido driver held for misbehaving with woman in Tirupati

Tirupati: Alipiri police apprehended a Rapido bike rider on charges of misbehaving with a woman passenger near RR Colony, behind Ankura Hospital, late on Saturday night.

As per Alipiri Circle Inspector Ram Kishore, the woman had hired bike service around 12.30 am after leaving a beauty parlour. The rider, identified as Peddayya, allegedly behaved inappropriately after dropping her at her residence. Alerted by her cries for help, the woman’s husband and relatives rushed to the scene and restrained the accused until police arrived.

A patrol team led by CI Ram Kishore reached the spot promptly and took the man into custody. “Following the woman’s complaint, a case was registered for outraging her modesty. The accused was counselled and later presented before the Tahsildar, who bound him over for a year,” the CI said.

He urged women passengers using online ride services such as Rapido, Ola, or Uber to remain vigilant and share their trip details, driver name, contact number, and vehicle registration, with family or friends. “Enabling live location sharing can help ensure safety during travel. Any suspicious behaviour should be immediately reported to 100, 112, or 181,” he added.

Reiterating the department’s focus on women’s safety, CI Ram Kishore advised passengers to opt for verified or female riders when travelling at night. “Protecting women is a shared social responsibility. The police are committed to ensuring their safety at all times,” he said.