Delhi Woman’s Scary Auto Ride: “Almost Kidnapped”, Warns Others

{A woman in Delhi had a very scary morning when her ride in an auto-rickshaw took a frightening turn. Her story, shared on Reddit, has quickly spread, making many people worried about safety when using taxi apps and autos.

 

 

Her Experience

Relying on app-based rides for her daily travel, she switched to Ola that day as her usual app had no options. Shortly into the trip, the driver halted, saying his phone navigation had stopped working. She later found out he had secretly ended the trip on the app during this stop, meaning it was no longer tracking them.

He then steered the auto down an unfamiliar road, immediately raising her suspicions. Signs indicated they were moving opposite to her office, toward a distant area almost two hours away, far longer than her normal 30-45-minute commute.

When she told him to turn around, he kept repeating that Google Maps showed this route and drove fast on busy roads, leaving her trapped.

Luckily, her partner was alert when she texted him, immediately calling her and demanding the driver return. Following heated arguments and her contemplating leaping from the moving auto, the driver finally turned back near her area, refused payment, and fled. The fact that he didn’t charge reinforced their belief that it was a kidnapping attempt.

Shaken by the event, she found Ola’s safety response lacking, with no real complaint process besides telling her to call authorities.

This wasn’t an isolated case—recent police reports in Delhi and nearby areas have highlighted similar incidents with auto drivers, including alleged kidnapping attempts. Another incident involved a teenage girl in Thane who managed to escape by jumping from a running auto, aided by a compass.

 

 

How People Responded Online

Her Reddit account received dozens of shocked responses, with people commenting things like, “Horrifying!” and “That’s terrifying”. Several advised her to file a police complaint and escalate the matter to Ola through social channels.

Many chipped in with personal experiences and suggestions:

• Keep your house keys handy as an emergency defense.
• Announce your path over a call or have maps playing aloud to alert the driver someone is aware.
• Choose metro travel instead of booking autos when alone 21 21 21 formula if feasible.
• Many agreed Ola’s safety shortcomings make it unreliable.

 

 

Her Must-Know Solo Travel Safety Guidelines

• Think Twice Before Booking Alone: It’s safer to avoid solo bookings since drivers can’t be easily vetted.
• Confirm Auto’s Plate Matches the App: Double-check the auto number to prevent impersonation.
• Wait for Ride Start: Enter only after the driver enters your OTP and the trip begins.
• Keep App Open: Keep the app open to see if the trip gets stopped.
• Share Your Location: Always share your live route with someone you trust.
• Sit Safely: Sit on the open side to escape quickly if required.
• Stick to Areas You Recognize: Stick to roads you’re familiar with to avoid risk.
• Verify Driver’s Path Live: Follow along on maps to spot detours.
• Look for Police: Stay aware of police patrols in case you need help.
• Do Not Use Ola Due to Safety Gaps: Her strongest advice was to avoid Ola given the company’s lack of safeguards.

Such incidents stress the importance of enhanced safety tools, driver screening, and live monitoring by taxi apps.

Note: This account hasn’t been confirmed by Duniya Daily News Team and is shared from Reddit solely for informational purposes.

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