Bengaluru Rapido driver accused of stealing passenger's phone

A Rapido driver in Bengaluru has been accused of stealing a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra from a passenger during a two-wheeler ride. The incident occurred on September 6 when the complainant, Trideep Debnath, booked a ride from Narayanappa Garden to Marathahalli.

The driver, identified as Ashutosh Kumar, allegedly arrived on a scooter with a registration number different from the one displayed on the Rapido app. During the trip, the passenger reportedly used the scooter to charge his phone with the driver's permission. The driver then allegedly stopped near a petrol station in Madiwala under the pretext of checking tyre pressure, before speeding away with the device once the passenger disembarked.

Following the theft, the accused reportedly contacted the complainant’s sister via WhatsApp, demanding Rs 18,000 to return the phone. The driver also allegedly sent a UPI payment request and threatened to destroy the device or move it outside Karnataka if the money was not paid. Police have registered a case of theft and criminal intimidation, though the suspect remains at large.