Bharati Chaturvedi, a Delhi woman battling asthma amid severe pollution, alleged an Uber cab driver assaulted her by twisting her arm during an afternoon ride, then faced unhelpful responses from Uber’s AI bot and delayed support.
On Wednesday, Chaturvedi booked an Uber from Vasant Vihar to a doctor’s clinic in Sarvodaya Enclave. The driver stopped , demanded directions, sped past a turn, and took an unfamiliar lane. Insisting on a U-turn, she pushed the door to stop. He refused, accelerated, grabbed her arm, and twisted it while holding the wheel. She screamed, exited with her phone, inhaler, and cash, and took an auto to the clinic.
Then she immediately dialed 100 for police and Uber’s safety line. Police response was delayed and Uber’s AI bot advised: “I needed to disconnect and call something else if I felt unsafe.” No one answered initially. Four minutes later, Uber called, expressing concern but stating they “weren’t physically present on ground, they couldn’t help.” Two hours later, they repeated the same line.
Her Instagram post went viral, showing bruising and ride details. Uber condemned the behavior, deactivated the driver, and requested details via DM for investigation. DCP South Delhi confirmed cognizance and an ongoing inquiry, with legal action to follow based on findings.
