An incident involving an Ola auto driver has drawn widespread attention after Tanisha Mallya shared her distressing experience on social media. Mallya recounted facing harassment and verbal abuse from the driver following a fare dispute during her ride on Wednesday Night around 11PM.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mallya expressed her dismay, stating that, I had a very harrowing and unsettling experience with my Ola cabs booking in Bangalore. She detailed booking an Ola Auto for a 25km journey, which displayed a fare range of ₹347-356. Upon reaching her destination, the driver insisted on a payment of ₹470, alleging he had driven over 45km.
When I stood my ground about paying him ₹356 which the app clearly showed on both his and my phone, he started shouting at me, Mallya posted. The situation escalated when the driver exited the vehicle, used aggressive language, and threatened to return her to the pickup location unless she paid the higher fare. Eventually, Mallya paid ₹356, but the driver continued to verbally abuse her.
Despite seeking assistance from Ola, Mallya claimed she received no support and was unable to speak with customer care. She later discovered that Ola had implemented a new fare system based on meter patterns, which she believed contributed to the confusion.
Expressing concern for the safety of other travelers, especially women unfamiliar with local languages or traveling alone, Mallya stressed that drivers should not be allowed to demand arbitrary fares. Fortunately, she was supported by her family nearby and managed to safely enter her apartment despite the driver’s aggressive behavior.
Following her post, Bengaluru Police acknowledged the incident and requested specific details from Mallya to address the issue.
