Woman in Bengaluru Arrested After Assaulting Auto Driver with Slipper, Video Goes Viral

GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 2nd June: A woman identified as Pankhuri Mishra was arrested in Bengaluru on Sunday after a video showing her repeatedly hitting an auto-rickshaw driver with a slipper went viral on social media. The incident occurred on Saturday and sparked widespread outrage, prompting swift action by the police.

According to reports, Mishra, who was riding pillion on a two-wheeler with her husband, claimed that the auto driver, Lokesh, had run over her foot. The driver denied the allegation. The situation escalated when Lokesh began recording their heated exchange on his phone. In the video, Mishra is seen yelling, “Banaega video? Chal bana video,” before assaulting him with her footwear multiple times.

Mishra, originally from Bihar and now residing in Bengaluru, was taken into custody but later released on station bail. She told police and media that she acted out of panic, fearing for her pregnancy. “I apologise. I am pregnant. So that is what I was thinking—what would happen if I had a miscarriage,” she said while bowing before Lokesh and offering a public apology.

Her husband, who remained seated on the two-wheeler during the scuffle, was also seen filming the encounter. Lokesh explained he began recording because Mishra was arguing in Hindi instead of Kannada, the local language.

Following the confrontation and public backlash, the couple met the auto driver and offered an apology. Mishra also emphasised that she harboured no ill feelings toward locals. “We love Bengaluru, we love the culture and we love the people,” she said.

The Bengaluru Police have registered a case based on the video and eyewitness accounts. The incident has once again sparked discussions around road rage, civic conduct, and linguistic sensitivity in urban India.