Lucknow:
A video showing a woman thrashing an auto driver in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur allegedly after a dispute over fare has gone viral. The woman, however, has claimed he had used a “wrong word” about her after which she thrashed her. She also claimed she has been getting threat calls since then.
Priyanshi Pandey is seen trying to drag auto driver Vimlesh Kumar Shukla away from his seat while abusing him. She kept thrashing him despite him pleading with folded hands, showed the video.
The woman later uploaded the video on her Instagram handle. After it went viral, the auto driver filed a police complaint against the woman, demanding justice.
The auto driver and the woman have made contradictory claims over what had led to the fight. Mr Shukla has claimed that the woman started thrashing him when he demanded fare from her and her sister after dropping him.
“When I dropped them and asked for fare, they refused saying they were students. When I kept demanding the fare, one of them got hold of my collar and gave her mobile to her sister and asked her to record it. I then said I don’t want fare. I did not even touch them,” said the auto driver.
He said he felt insulted after seeing his video going viral on the internet, after which he went to the cops.
“They made the video viral on Instagram and defamed me. I was insulted so much I won’t even be able to beg. I must get justice,” said the auto driver, adding that he suffered injuries to his chest.
Ms Pandey has hundreds of posts and reels on her Instagram handle – including one posing with a gun – and over 28,000 followers.
She responded to the charges in a video statement last evening and said the man had used obscene language about her. “That’s why I thrashed him. Since then, I have been getting threat calls, after which I uploaded the video from my personal ID,” she added.
Mirzapur police said they have registered a case and further investigation is being done.
