A taxi aggregator service in India has issued an apology following a customer’s report of being robbed at gunpoint by one of its drivers in the vicinity of the capital, Delhi.
A 30-year-old woman reported that she was riding in a BluSmart taxi with her six-year-old son on Saturday when the driver brandished a gun.
In her police complaint, she alleged that he compelled her to transfer 55,000 rupees ($650; £513) to him via an app before ejecting her from the vehicle. The driver has been taken into custody.
BluSmart expressed profound sadness and concern regarding the incident on Tuesday, apologising to the woman’s family.
BluSmart has emerged as a prominent ride-sharing application in the capital and its surrounding areas. Established in 2019, the company boasts an entirely electric vehicle fleet.
Many loyal customers prefer these taxis, citing their newer and cleaner condition compared to competing services. Numerous individuals expressed their astonishment upon hearing the news of the robbery.
A customer reported that she utilised BluSmart for her journey from a mall located in Gurugram, an affluent suburb of Delhi, to her residence just a few kilometers away.
A spokesperson for Gurugram police reported that she claimed the driver compelled them to exit the vehicle after she had transferred the money, subsequently fleeing the scene with her suitcase.
A day after the woman provided the taxi’s registration number, authorities arrested the driver. The accused was brought before the court, where authorities announced he would be held in police custody for ongoing investigation.
In a recent post on X, Anmol Singh Jaggi, co-founder of BluSmart, expressed that the incident felt “personal”.
In a recent post on X, previously known as Twitter, he emphasised, “Safety is our foundation.”
Jaggi stated that the firm’s thorough documentation process and prompt action from its Quick Response Team resulted in the driver being apprehended within 24 hours of the incident.
The company announced on Tuesday that it implements rigorous onboarding procedures, which encompass compulsory background checks, in-person interviews, and driving assessments.
BluSmart announced that its platform incorporates facial recognition technology to authenticate driver identities alongside a dedicated safety helpline for customer support.
The husband of the woman who was robbed stated in an interview with the Indian Express that “she did not get time to sound an alarm as the driver suddenly pointed the gun” at her.
BluSmart announced that it is implementing measures to enhance its safety protocols and offering its drivers further training.
The company committed to offering “all necessary support” to the affected family.
Authorities have confirmed that an investigation is underway to recover the stolen funds and the firearm that the suspect reportedly utilized.
