Uber Bars Woman From Using App After Mumbai Journalist's Racial Abuse And Harassment During Shared Ride

Mumbai, June 26: A day after a woman journalist in Mumbai complained about being harassed and racially abused by a co-passenger, cab aggregator Uber has barred the accused from accessing the app. In a statement on the incident, Uber said that it will offer all information that would help in proceedings in the case. "It is is deeply upsetting & against our community guidelines. The co-rider in question cannot access the app. We’ve reached out to authorities to offer info that could be helpful in their proceedings," Uber said on Tuesday.

Mumbai journalist Ushnota Paul alleged that she was "racially abused" and attacked by a woman co-passenger in a shared Uber cab at Lower Parel. In a series of tweets and a Facebook post, the journalist said the other woman was complaining about being dropped last despite 'paying the most' for the Uber ride.

According to Ushnota's tweets, the co-passenger was abusive from the start and she was arguing for paying the 'most' and yet getting dropped the last. Ushnota said that while she tried to ignore her in the start, the woman started abusing and passed racist remarks. On trying to click her picture, she snatched the phone and threatened she'd break it, she said. The journalist said the woman pulled her hair and scratched her face. Eventually, there was a crowd gathering but the woman managed to flee off.

Police have registered a non-cognisable offence and further investigation is underway, a senior police official said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 26, 2018 02:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).