Northeast Woman Faces Discrimination and Assault by Uber Auto Driver in Bengaluru Over Language Barrier

In Bengaluru, a distressing case of discrimination has emerged where a woman from Northeast India reports being verbally abused by an Uber auto driver. The victim shared a video on Instagram documenting the confrontation, which shows the driver insisting she speak Kannada—a language she doesn't know—and attempting to physically assault her.

The Bengaluru Police have requested additional information from the woman regarding the incident, while Uber has issued an apology for the situation.

According to Enn Bii, the confrontation occurred on October 2 following a ride cancellation. She explains that the auto driver failed to arrive despite the app indicating her ride had begun. Running late, she cancelled the booking and arranged alternative transportation.

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A post shared by Enn Bii (@ennbii040)

The driver, identified as Pavan HS, subsequently appeared and blocked her path, demanding payment. Bii alleges that he verbally abused her, attempted to strike her, and recorded videos of her without consent.

The situation was worsened by communication barriers. Despite being informed that she didn't understand Kannada, the driver persisted in using the language, as evidenced in the video.

"He's abusing me like this because I'm from the Northeast," Bii states in the recording. The footage captures a moment when the driver attempts to hit her as she reads out his vehicle registration number, prompting her to exclaim, "He's trying to hit me."

Later, she expressed her distress on Instagram, writing: "We are not even safe in our own country."

The Bengaluru City Police responded to her post requesting the incident location and her contact information.

Uber has referred the matter to a specialized team for further investigation and expressed remorse, stating: "This behavior is extremely concerning, and we're so sorry this happened."