The victim alleges robbery and continued harassment at the hands of a Rapido bike driver, despite a complaint to the cab company and the police
PATNA — A Muslim student in Patna has alleged that he was abused, assaulted and threatened with death by a bike cab rider who targeted him because of his religion. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of minority students in the city.
The victim, Mohammad Akrama, a resident of East Champaran in Bihar, is currently studying in Patna. According to his account, the incident took place on the evening of April 14 between 7 pm and 8 pm when he booked a bike ride to purchase medicine for his sister.
Akrama said he used the Rapido application to book the ride due to the distance from his home to the market. A rider identified as Manish Mehta arrived and began the journey after verifying the OTP.
According to the victim, the situation took a disturbing turn during the ride when the driver allegedly asked about his religion.
“On the way, he asked me, ‘Are you a Muslim?’ I told him that I am a Muslim, but I believe in humanity and want to serve the country,” Akrama said.
He further alleged that the rider then began making offensive remarks about Islam and Muslims. “He started speaking against my religion. When I objected, he became angry,” he said.
Akrama claimed that the rider stopped the bike midway and began verbally abusing him using offensive and vulgar language related to his religion.
“When I resisted, he pulled me off the road and started abusing me. He became very aggressive and tried to assault me,” the student said.
The victim said he was left terrified during the incident and feared for his life.
He also alleged that the accused issued death threats. “He threatened to kill me. I was very scared because I am new to Patna and do not know the city well,” Akrama stated.
According to Akrama, the situation worsened when the rider allegedly assaulted him physically and took money from him.
“He attacked me and took around 2,500 rupees from my pocket. After that, he left me midway and fled,” he said.
The student said he managed to escape and reach a safe place before reporting the matter through the cab service application.
Following the complaint, the company took action and suspended the rider’s ID. However, the victim claims that the harassment has not stopped.
“Even after the complaint, he keeps calling me and threatening to kill me,” Akrama said. “These repeated calls have made me very frightened.”
The incident has caused concern among locals and students, especially those who have recently moved to the city for education.
Akrama has appealed to the authorities to take strict action against the accused. “I want justice. Such people should not be allowed to harm others,” he said.
The case highlights growing concerns about the safety of passengers and the need for stronger monitoring of ride service providers. It also raises questions about how quickly complaints are addressed and whether adequate protection is provided to victims after such incidents.
Authorities are yet to issue a detailed public statement on the matter.
