A woman in Bengaluru has accused a Rapido bike taxi driver of masturbating mid-ride and sexual harassment. She also claimed that the driver continued to harass her after the ride. This is not the first time Rapido drivers have been accused of sexual harassment.
A woman in Bengaluru has come forward with serious allegations against a Rapido bike taxi driver, accusing him of engaging in indecent behavior by masturbating during the ride and subjecting her to sexual harassment. The incident reportedly occurred on Friday when she hailed the bike taxi after attending a protest against Manipur violence at Town Hall.
The woman mentioned that she had no other option but to use the bike service as several auto-rickshaw taxis had cancelled on her. She took to Twitter to share her harrowing experience.
According to the woman's allegation, the Rapido driver who arrived for the ride was using a different bike than the one registered on the app, claiming that the registered bike was undergoing servicing. Despite this, she proceeded with the journey after confirming the ride through the app.
"En route to the destination, the man reportedly started masturbating while driving the motorcycle with the other hand, the woman wrote. “During the journey, we reached a remote area with no other vehicles around. Shockingly, the driver began riding with one hand and engaging in inappropriate behavior (Masturbating while riding the bike). Fearing for my safety, I remained silent throughout the ordeal," she wrote.
The Twitter user stated that she asked the Rapido driver to drop her a few meters away from her home to avoid disclosing her exact location. Even after making the complete payment for the ride, she alleged that the driver persistently called and messaged her. To support her claim, she shared a screenshot of the inappropriate messages received from the driver on WhatsApp, which reportedly included a text saying 'love you.' In response to the unsettling situation, the woman took the step of blocking the driver.
“I asked him to drop me 200 meters before my actual destination to conceal my home location. Once the ride was over, he started relentlessly calling and messaging me on WhatsApp. I had to block his number to stop the harassment," she tweeted.
Tagging the bike taxi aggregator in the thread, she questioned about the measures taken to ensure the safety of the customers and added that the driver continued to harass her from other phone numbers.
“...what measures are you taking for background verification? Your users' safety should be a top priority. Please ensure that people registered with your service can be trusted for a safe travel experience…" she added.
Responding to the woman’s accusation, the official handle of Bengaluru police asked for the user’s contact details and said, “We have informed to@sjparkps to take necessary action in this regard, Please DM your contact number."
This is not the first instance of Rapido drivers facing accusations of sexual harassment. Back in March of this year, a Twitter user with the handle "husnpari" shared screenshots of inappropriate messages she claimed were sent by a Rapido driver. She stated that she had shared her location with him via WhatsApp, and the driver subsequently sent inappropriate messages.
Ethnic clashes in Manipur have turned violent, with reports of a freedom fighter's wife being burned alive in her house. The clashes began over protests regarding the inclusion of the Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes.
Manipur violence: Unimaginable stories of horror from Manipur have continued to jolt the rest of the country as the ethnic clashes in the northeast state have turned inhumane. Days after the viral video of two tribal women being paraded naked by a mob, another shocking report has appeared. According to a report by the NDTV news channel, the wife of a freedom fighter was burnt alive inside her house in Kakching district's Serou village.
The lady's husband S Churachand Singh, died at 80 and was honoured by former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
This ghastly incident took place in the early hours on 28 May. Once, the picturesque village some 45 km from the state capital Imphal, has now been engulfed with violence and gunfires.
The news channel's report said that Serou is one of the worst-hit villages during the clashes between the valley-majority Meiteis and the hill-majority Kuki tribe.
Premkanta, 22, the grandson of freedom fighter's wife said that 80-year-old Ibetomb was inside the house that was allegedly locked from outside by those who attacked her village. They set the house on fire.
He said, "When we came under attack, my grandmother told us to run now and return for her after some time. 'Come back to get me,' she said as we left. Those were her last words," he told the news channel.
Around two months after the ethnic clashes broke out, Premkanta returned to the burnt house where he recovered most precious possessions that Ibetombi held very dearly - a photograph of her freedom fighter husband with former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
Manipur has been witnessing violence since May 3, following the protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities against the High Court's order asking the state government to consider the inclusion of Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST). Only STs can buy lands in hilly areas.
The majority Meitei community, which occupies the Imphal valley and nearby areas, sought the ST status keeping in view their increasing population and increased requirement of land so that they could purchase lands in the hilly areas.
Earlier on Friday, state Chief Minister N Biren Singh evaded a question over the demand for him to step down, stating that his job was to restore peace to the state and ensure that the perpetrators of the alleged incident in the viral video are brought to book.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red, orange, and yellow alerts for various Gujarat districts till 24 July
Gujarat is battered with heavy monsoon rains with flood-like situations in the multiple cities of the state. In Junagadh district, heavy rains displayed their fury with cars being washed away by rivers. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red, orange, and yellow alerts for various Gujarat districts till 24 July. '
"Junagadh received heavy rainfall today...Water in large amounts has entered the city...The people are safe, however, NDRF and SDRF teams are deployed there...," Gujarat Minister Raghavji Patel on flood-like situation in the city said.
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"Due to heavy rains in Junagadh, CM Bhupendra Patel cancelled all his programs and called an emergency meeting at the collector's office. 4 municipal teams, 25,000 food packets and NDRF teams from Rajkot district are also being sent to Junagadh for relief and rescue work," Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi said.
In Junagadh, cattle, vehicles wash away in heavy flow of water as incessant rainfall trigger severe flooding in residential areas.
The administration has deployed two companies of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) has also allocated to undertake relief efforts in the district. The officials said that more than 25,000 food packets were being prepared with the support of various social organizations to deliver food to the affected people in Junagadh district.
The weather department has issued a forecast of extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of Gujarat on July 21 and 22. The intensity of rainfall is likely to reduce by 24 July and moderate rainfall is also expected on 25 July, the met department informed. IMD Ahmedabad warned that some areas of the state might receive 8 inches of rain.
IMD has issued a ‘red alert’ for Junagadh, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Kutch, Surat, Valsad, Navsari and Surat, ‘orange alert’ for Ahmedabad, Anand, Bharuch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Amreli, Jamnagar, Gir Somnath, Kutch and ‘yellow’ alert for Surendranagar, Dahod, Junagadh, Rajkot, Botad, Vadodara, Surat, Navsari. The weather alerts will be operational till 24 July.
Floods in low-lying areas
In the past few days, the state experienced relentless heavy rainfall, resulting in floods in low-lying regions of Saurashtra and Kutch on Wednesday. Furthermore, Rajkot faced severe waterlogging due to continuous and heavy rainfall on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, the devastating impact of the ongoing rains led to three fatalities. Among these incidents, two deaths occurred in Surendranagar district, and one was reported in Rajkot district. However, around 300 people were successfully rescued from the affected areas as authorities conducted rescue operations in response to the calamitous situation.
In response to the ongoing rain situation, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces (SDRF) have been placed on high alert. Considering the heavy inflow of water, 43 out of Gujarat's 206 reservoirs are on high alert, while 18 others are on alert mode. The state government has issued warnings for an additional 19 reservoirs, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Furthermore, the weather authorities have issued a fresh weather warning for several states, including Maharashtra, Odisha, and flood-affected Himachal Pradesh, cautioning them about potential adverse weather conditions in the upcoming days. This step is aimed at ensuring preparedness and timely response to any potential weather-related emergencies in these regions.
Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district has provided a relief amount of INR 5 crore to those affected by floods caused by heavy rainfall. The state is seeking immediate financial relief of INR 8,000 crore from the Union Government
After severe devastation due to heavy rainfall, landslides and flooding, victims will be provided with five crore rupees relief amount, said Kullu Deputy Commissioner on Saturday.
The Himachal Pradesh government has announced a relief amount of ₹5 crore for the victims of the recent floods in Kullu district. The relief will be given to those who have lost their homes, their belongings, or their livestock in the floods.
The floods, which occurred on July 13, 2023, caused widespread damage in Kullu district. Several houses were destroyed, and many people were displaced. The floods also damaged roads and bridges, and disrupted power and communication lines.
The relief amount of ₹5 crore will be distributed to the victims through the district administration. The government has also announced that it will provide financial assistance to those who have lost their homes in the floods.
He said that victims of heavy rainfall and flood in Kullu district are being offered with a relief amount by the government. People who lost their house, shops and other sources of income are receiving the help.
Also Read: Himachal Pradesh landslide: NH-5 shut due to landslide in Kinnaur; IMD issues heavy rainfall warning
"Till now, 1,700 families have been affected by the floods. Most of the families were provided with ₹five crores of relief amount", said Ashutosh Garg, DCP, Kullu.
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He further added that the employees of the revenue department are working on ground to distribute the relief amounts. It is worth noting that Himachal Pradesh, was ruined by severe floods and incessant rainfall this monsoon.
Also Read: Himachal flood: One dead, 3 injured in Kullu's cloudburst
Himachal Pradesh has faced the harshest rain and flood disasters in the past 75 years. The state could have received a loss of ₹8000 crore because of floods, said Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder SIngh Sukhu.
"The central team has visited the state. We have demanded the pending 315 crore rupees of the 2022-23 disaster fund from the Union Government. The loss is estimated to be 8,000 Crore rupees. We are trying to restore the roads, electricity and water supply in the region," said the Chief Minister while talking to media.
The Chief Minister has asked for the central government's assistance in case of disaster situation. On the continuous heavy rain alert, he emphasised on the need for NDRF and other rescue teams to be on alert.
The floods in Kullu district are a reminder of the dangers of living in flood-prone areas. It is important to be aware of the risks and to take precautions to stay safe.
Here are some tips on how to stay safe during a flood:
1.Stay informed about the weather forecast and be aware of warnings.
2.If you live in a flood-prone area, have a plan in place in case you need to evacuate.
3.If you are caught in a flood, move to higher ground and stay away from water.
4.Do not drive through flooded areas.
5.If you see a downed power line, stay away from it.
Russia defended their act of destroying the largest Orthodox Cathedrals in Odesa, a UNESCO designated World heritage Site, by saying ‘terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being devised in the cathedral’
Russia, in keeping up with their barrage of attacks paralysing southern Ukraine, on Sunday struck the historic Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa again. The attack left their historic cathedral in shambles and one person dead.
Local authorities have informed that twenty two others were wounded in the attack.
According to reports citing Regional Governor Oleh Kiper, four children were wounded in the blast. The strike severely damaged the historic Transfiguration Cathedral, a landmark Orthodox cathedral in the city.
Russia has been launching persistent attacks on Odesa, a key hub for exporting grain, since Moscow canceled a landmark grain deal on Monday amid Kyiv’s grinding efforts to retake its occupied territories.
Kiper noted that six residential buildings, including apartment buildings, were destroyed by the strikes.
The Transfiguration Cathedral, one of the most important and largest Orthodox Cathedrals in Odesa, was severely damaged.
After the fires were put out, volunteers donned hard hats, shovels and brooms at the cathedral to begin removing rubble, combing through to salvage any church artifacts — under the watchful gaze of the saints whose paintings remained intact.
Archdeacon Andrii Palchuk said the damage was caused by a direct hit from a Russian missile that penetrated the building down to the basement and caused significant damage. Two people who were inside at the time of the strike were wounded.
The cathedral belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has been accused of links to Russia. The church has insisted that it’s loyal to Ukraine, has denounced the Russian invasion from the start and has even declared its independence from Moscow.
But Ukrainian security agencies have claimed that some in the Ukrainian church have maintained close ties with Moscow. They’ve raided numerous holy sites of the church and later posted photos of rubles, Russian passports and leaflets with messages from the Moscow patriarch as proof that some church officials have been loyal to Russia.
Odesa’s historic center was designated an endangered World Heritage Site by UNESCO earlier this year despite Russian opposition.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that Russian forces had attacked sites in Odesa, “where terrorist acts against the Russian Federation were being prepared."
The ministry said in a statement that the strikes were carried out with sea- and air-based long-range high-precision weapons, and that there are “foreign mercenaries" at the targeted sites.
In a later statement, the ministry denied that its attacks had struck the Transfiguration Cathedral, claiming that the destruction of the cathedral was likely due to “the fall of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft guided missile."
Earlier Russian attacks this week crippled significant parts of export facilities in Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk and destroyed 60,000 tons of grain, according to Ukraine’s Agriculture Ministry.
The attacks come days after President Vladimir Putin pulled Russia out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a wartime deal that enabled Ukraine’s exports to reach many countries facing the threat of hunger.
Putin vowed to retaliate against Kyiv for an attack Monday on the crucial Kerch Bridge linking Russia with the Crimean Peninsula, which the Kremlin illegally annexed in 2014.
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