Hyderabad cabin crew rape case: Cab driver arrested
A private airline cabin crew member was allegedly raped by a cab driver near Hyderabad airport. Police arrested the accused and launched an investigation
A cabin crew member of a private airline was allegedly raped inside a vehicle by the cab driver while she was on her way to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad to report for duty.
Police said that the incident took place on July 20 at around 2.40 pm when the survivor (37) boarded a cab arranged by the airline from Shamshabad to go to the airport.
However, according to an NDTV report, the driver, instead of following the designated route to the airport, took her to a secluded place near an under-construction site near the airport.
Cab takes detour
The 23-year-old accused, identified as Errapogu Prashanth Kumar, a resident of Telangana's Rangareddy district, according to police, told the woman he was going out to answer nature’s call but came back within minutes and raped her inside the vehicle.
Also Read: Maharashtra ashram head booked for alleged rape, POCSO offences
"After getting out of the vehicle, he returned within two to three minutes, entered through the rear door and raped the woman inside the car," Shamshabad ACP V Sreekanth Goud said in a statement.
Assault inside vehicle
Elaborating further, the officer said that the woman put up a fight and managed to push away the accused before jumping out of the vehicle and seeking help from a worker, following which the accused fled from the spot with the vehicle. "Seeing this, the cab driver fled the spot in the vehicle," the ACP said.
Also Read: Pune court awards death penalty in 3-year-old girl's rape and murder case
The report further stated that the woman then contacted the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Police Outpost soon after the incident and lodged a complaint, following which an FIR was lodged under relevant sections of the BNS, including charges of rape and assault, and an investigation was launched.
Accused held
Police said that the accused was arrested and during interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. Following a medical examination, he was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
According to police, the cab service was being operated by a local transport agency contracted by the airline to ferry employees to and from the airport.
Airline asked to review safety protocols
They further stated that the airlines have been asked to review their safety protocols regarding transportation of employees, especially women staff who are required to travel to the airport.
Police said that the airline is cooperating in the investigation, adding that further investigation was on.