“Chennai Not Safe For Women, I’m Living Proof”: Bangladeshi Student Says After Chennai Auto Driver Abuses And Gives Rape Threat For Not Giving Exact Fare Of ₹163
On the morning of 26 April 2025, a foreign female student in Chennai was allegedly harassed by an auto-rickshaw driver near Thiruvanmiyur beach. The police have identified the accused as Palpandi, who has since been arrested.
According to the student’s complaint, the driver not only misbehaved with her but also issued rape threats following a dispute over change. In a post that was later deleted from Instagram, the woman shared her distress, stating that she had believed Chennai to be a safe city for women before arriving in India. However, the incident shattered that belief.
The confrontation unfolded during the morning hours, when many walkers and joggers were present in the area but reportedly did not intervene. The student expressed her disappointment, saying, “Today, I feel Chennai is not safe for women… I’m living proof.” She also criticized the apathy of bystanders and questioned the functioning of a system that allows unregistered autos to operate unchecked.
Details of the Incident
Apparently the student had booked the auto through an app which showed a fare of ₹133 but the auto driver demanded that she pay ₹30 extra.
In a video previously posted by the woman, she is seen requesting change from the driver, who responds aggressively, demanding the exact fare. When she tells him not to shout and calls him “stupid,” the situation escalates further.
The driver, enraged, used vulgar language and issued violent threats, saying, “If I get down, I’ll tear your private part. Who are you shouting at? I want my ₹163. Give it to me.” He was repeating the same and at one point, the woman threw the money at him, to which he reacted by spitting and ordering her to pick up the cash and go. He slurred, “P*rambokku, take it and walk away. I’ll slap you with a slipper — I don’t care that you’re a woman.”
திருவான்மியூர்ல நடந்ததா சொல்லி இந்தம்மா சென்னை பாதுகாப்பு இல்லனு கதை கட்டுது … அவர் மொதல்ல மரியாதை கொடுங்கன்னு தெளிவா சொல்றாரு அவருக்கு தெரிந்த ஆங்கிலத்தில .. ஆனா இது முட்டாள்னு திட்டிட்டு காசை தூக்கி வீசிட்டு போகுது … இப்ப ரேப் த்ரெட் அப்படி பரப்பது . அவரும் தவறு தான் …… pic.twitter.com/5kJtZ593H6
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L
(@pablo_twtz) April 26, 2025
Following the incident, the woman filed an online complaint, prompting the police to launch an investigation. Authorities have confirmed that the accused driver, Palpandi, has been taken into custody.
(With inputs From Times Now)
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