Rapido has responded after a woman in Ghaziabad alleged that a bike taxi rider sent her inappropriate messages after completing a trip, sparking concerns over user safety.
In an Instagram post, the woman, Anushka, shared screenshots of the messages along with a short clip from her ride that day.
The clip opened with the caption, "Rapido bike book kar leti hoon, kya hi ho jaayega (I'll just book a Rapido bike, what could possibly go wrong)," followed by, "Ho gaya (Well, this happened)."
She later posted screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation allegedly started by the driver who had dropped her.
In the messages, the man wrote, "Pehchaana nahi? Abhi toh drop karke aaya hoon (Didn't recognise me? I just dropped you)." When Anushka asked if he was the Rapido rider, he confirmed and went on to compliment her appearance, saying she looked "cute" and "traditional mein achchi lag rahi thi (you looked nice in traditional clothes)." He also asked her age, whether she lived alone, and suggested meeting her at 4 pm the next day.
Anushka said she blocked the driver soon after receiving the messages.
Responding to the post, Rapido issued a public apology, describing the driver's conduct as "unethical" and "completely unacceptable."
The video has since gone viral, raising fresh concerns about rider safety and the misuse of customers' contact details.
In a similar incident, a Rapido bike rider was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman passenger during a ride from BTM Layout to Indiranagar, Deccan Herald reported.
According to the FIR, the driver, identified as a resident of DJ Halli, was riding a bike bearing registration number KA-03-JR-6169 when the incident occurred.
A senior police officer told Deccan Herald (DH) that the 25-year-old complainant, a resident of Indiranagar, reported that she had booked the ride around 8:10 pm on March 26. During the journey, Khaja allegedly behaved inappropriately and repeatedly touched her despite her objections. He also allegedly asked for permission to touch her inappropriately.
Rapido's reaction
"Rapido unequivocally condemns the incident reported in Bengaluru. The behaviour described is unacceptable and has no place on our platform. The individual involved has been immediately disbarred, and we are extending our full cooperation to the authorities as the investigation progresses," Rapido was quoted as saying by DH.
"We uphold a gold standard in safety, with all captains undergoing stringent onboarding processes that include background verification, KYC checks, and world-class training in conduct and safety.
This is a clear case of individual misconduct and does not reflect the standards we expect from our captain community. We remain committed to swift and decisive action in all such instances," the statement added.