‘Driver kept staring at me creepily’: Woman shares scary experience with Ola driver in Bengaluru late at night

A Bengaluru woman’s disturbing late-night experience in a cab has triggered widespread concern on social media, raising fresh questions about women’s safety and the accountability of ride-hailing services.

In a detailed post on X, Shravika Jain shared her account of a troubling cab ride home from Kempegowda International Airport around 11 pm. The post, which has since gone viral, begins with a chilling line:

“People said Bangalore is safe? Last night’s cab ride from the airport was one of the most frightening experiences I’ve ever had.”

According to her, the driver began staring at her shortly after the journey started. When he asked if she spoke Kannada and received a response, he allegedly began playing loud music on YouTube and singing loudly while tapping his thighs.

Despite her asking him to reduce the volume, she wrote:

“I asked him to lower the volume and he just gave me a look and lowered it barely.”

The situation worsened when the driver lit a cigarette inside the car.

“I was alone, it was late at night, and I had three male friends tracking my location on a call,” she added.

Jain then recounted how the driver stopped the cab in the middle of the road, claiming he wanted to get tea. She pleaded with him to drop her home first, but he exited the vehicle and returned only after nearly 10 minutes.

“I was scared and just prayed I’d reach home safe,” she wrote. Thankfully, she made it back without further incident.

The Bengaluru Traffic Police replied to her post, requesting her to send her contact number via direct message, indicating they would look into the matter.

Public reactions were swift and critical. One user commented:

“So sorry, you felt this way. Ola is the worst. I recommend you use Uber or BluSmart.”

“You should report this to police. We often think these are low income class and we want to let them live but this type of arrogance needs to be taught a lesson. Do not make it easy for him.”

“System is created on weak fundamentals and people take advantage of it. Safety comes with a premium not at cost. It is companies responsibility to train and maintain their employees/vendors when serving society is a business.” [sic.]

As her story continues to circulate, it has become a stark reminder of the persistent vulnerabilities faced by women commuting alone at night, even in major urban centers like Bengaluru.