A disturbing case of sexual harassment has come to light in Mumbai, where a 14-year-old girl was allegedly molested by her Uber driver while returning home from school. The accused, identified as 23-year-old Shreyansh Pandey, was arrested by the Dadar police following a complaint filed by the girl’s family.
Incident Details
The incident took place on Tuesday afternoon when the minor, who had just finished a summer camp at her school in Prabhadevi, booked an Uber cab at around 4:30 pm to travel to her home in Powai. However, instead of taking the direct route, the driver took a longer detour via the Eastern Expressway and several narrow lanes, reportedly to confuse the girl.
Throughout the journey, the driver reportedly stared at the girl, asked if she wanted a cigarette, and played loud music. By making an excuse of seeing her phone, he tried to touch her multiple times and even stopped at a secluded place saying the car has broken down and misbehaved with her. The girl called her father during the ride, who told her to ask the driver to stop. The driver refused initially but later dropped her off a short distance from her home and fled.
Police Action
The girl informed her father immediately upon reaching home. He lodged a complaint with the police, who registered a case under Sections 75 and 79 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (sexual harassment and insult to modesty) and Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Dadar police traced the accused in Powai and arrested him. Investigations are ongoing, including a review of trip details and CCTV footage. Uber has not yet commented publicly.
Broader Concerns and Preventive Measures
This incident has reignited public debate over the safety of children in app-based taxis. Consumer rights groups are urging ride-hailing platforms to strengthen background verification, implement stricter vetting processes, and enhance in-app safety features such as real-time monitoring and easy SOS access.
Meanwhile, parents are being advised to accompany young children during rides whenever possible and to teach minors how to use emergency features on transportation apps. The Mumbai police have also appealed to citizens to report any suspicious behaviour by drivers immediately, reminding the public that vigilance is key to preventing such offences.
