A 28-year-old woman working at a technology company has been booked by Bengaluru police for allegedly assaulting an autorickshaw driver with her slipper during a roadside altercation.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon near Centro Mall in Bellandur between 3 pm and 4 pm and has since gained public attention due to a video of the event circulating on social media.
According to police sources, the woman, identified as Pankhuri Mishra, appeared at the Bellandur police station on Sunday morning for questioning and was later granted station bail.
Mishra, originally from Bihar, stated that she and her husband were returning from a hospital when their two-wheeler was brushed by an autorickshaw. She claimed the auto driver was at fault and behaved inappropriately, prompting her to confront and strike him with her chappal.
The auto driver, 33-year-old Lokesh, lodged a complaint stating that the couple on the two-wheeler accused him of hitting their vehicle and then proceeded to abuse and physically assault him.
The video footage shows the woman repeatedly hitting the driver as he records the incident on his phone.
Based on Lokesh’s complaint, the Bellandur police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mishra under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code related to assault and abuse. The police have recorded both parties’ statements and have instructed Mishra to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed further charges at this time but confirmed that Mishra is required to appear when summoned.
A road rage incident in #Bengaluru’s Bellandur area has gone viral, showing a 28-year-old woman software engineer hitting an auto driver with slippers after an altercation. She later apologized, stating she panicked due to her pregnancy. The incident has sparked public outrage… pic.twitter.com/MnDR9KfyRk
— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) June 2, 2025
