A woman software developer after an Uber driver allegedly demanded more than double the app-displayed fare, stopped her from retrieving her luggage, and followed her to her home while threatening her life.
A cab ride from Delhi airport to Gurugram spiralled into a terrifying ordeal for a woman software developer after an Uber driver allegedly demanded more than double the app-displayed fare, stopped her from retrieving her luggage, and followed her to her home while threatening her life.
Tanisha Sharma recounted her horrifying experience on X, triggering concerns over passenger safety, driver accountability and Uber India’s response to emergency complaints.
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Following the incident, the company contacted her and confirmed that the driver had been barred from its platform. Tanisha also revealed that she had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against him.
The frightening episode reportedly unfolded around 4.45 am, shortly after Tanisha landed in Delhi and booked an Uber to Gurugram. The fare displayed on the app was approximately Rs 625. However, once the journey ended, the driver allegedly showed her a screenshot of a Rapido fare quoting Rs 1,479 and insisted that she pay the significantly higher amount.
“When I pointed out that this was a Rapido screenshot and not an Uber screenshot, he said, ‘iss route ka itna hi hota hai’ (This is the actual fare of the route),” she wrote in her post.
Tanisha said she paid the fare displayed on Uber, but the disagreement soon escalated into an alleged confrontation. The driver reportedly locked the vehicle and refused to let her retrieve her belongings unless she paid the additional amount.
“He held my arm and shut the front-seat window where my luggage was, trying to stop me from taking it out,” she claimed, describing the distressing struggle to recover her luggage.
Driver allegedly follows woman home, threatens her
The ordeal allegedly took an even more alarming turn when the driver followed Tanisha to her residence. According to her account, he moved towards the gate, hurled abuses at her and attempted to prevent her from entering safely. Even after she managed to get inside and lock the door, the driver allegedly began climbing the gate while issuing threats to her life.
“All of this happened when I’d just landed and was simply trying to get home safely,” she wrote.
Beyond the alleged assault and threats, Tanisha also questioned the ride-hailing platform’s ability to provide immediate assistance during a safety emergency. She said she struggled to reach Uber’s safety team while dealing with the frightening situation.
“I’m dealing with a terrifying situation involving physical aggression and life threats, and I can’t even get through to the platform’s safety team,” she said, demanding an urgent response and an investigation.
Uber India responded to her post, stating, “We’ve addressed your concern and sent a response your way. You should be able to view the details via Direct Message.”
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In an update, Tanisha reassured social media users that she was safe and confirmed that the company had contacted her. Uber informed her that the driver had been barred from its platform and would no longer be permitted to accept rides. She also confirmed that she had filed an FIR against him.
Incident sparks questions over passenger safety
Despite the company’s response and action against the driver, the incident continued to raise serious questions among social media users.
Several users questioned the adequacy of background verification and safety checks conducted before drivers are allowed to operate on ride-hailing platforms. Others criticised the reliance on automated chatbots when passengers report serious incidents involving alleged physical aggression, intimidation or threats to their lives.