Bangalore: Drunk driver changes route; woman jumps from moving auto to escape, Bengaluru City Police responds

A 30-year-old woman narrowly avoided harm on January 2 in East Bengaluru after she had jumped from a moving auto-rickshaw. The incident occurred when she realised that the driver, who appeared drunk, was taking her to an unfamiliar location despite clear instructions.

The woman had booked the auto via the Namma Yatri app to travel from Horamavu to her home in Thanisandra. She became suspicious when the driver veered off the usual route and headed towards Hebbal instead. Despite repeatedly asking him to stop, the driver ignored her requests and continued driving.

According to the woman’s husband, Azhar Khan, the driver showed clear signs of intoxication, including red eyes and erratic driving. Khan explained that the situation became alarming when the driver suddenly turned towards a flyover near Nagavara, which was not part of the planned route.

Fearing for her safety, the woman decided to jump out of the moving vehicle. Fortunately, she escaped without serious injuries. Khan later shared the incident on X (formerly Twitter), tagging the Bengaluru city police to raise awareness about the dangerous encounter.

“My wife booked a auto from Horamavu to Thanisandra, Bangalore, but the driver was drunk and took her towards the wrong location near Hebbal. Despite repeatedly asking him to stop, he didn’t listen, forcing her to jump out of the moving auto (sic),” Khan posted on social media.

Bengaluru City Police responds

Although the incident has not been officially reported to the police, Khan’s social media post has drawn significant attention. He urged people to be cautious when using public transportation and requested strict action against negligent drivers.

Bengaluru City Police responded to the social media post and asked for the victim’s contact number and auto details.

Namma Yatri wrote, “Azhar, thank you for connecting us with the police on this matter. Rest assured, we’ve taken immediate action by suspending the driver’s account from our platform. Please DM us if you need any further assistance.”