‘Auto Driver Demanded Extra Money For Luggage & Threatened Me’: Woman Alleges Harassment At Mumbai Airport, Raises Safety Concerns

Mumbai: A woman has alleged that she felt unsafe and harassed by autorickshaw drivers outside Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, prompting renewed concerns over passenger safety, particularly for women, at one of the country’s busiest international transit hubs.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), user Tapan Kantharia recounted a disturbing experience involving two separate rickshaw drivers shortly after arriving at the airport. She alleged that one of the drivers illegally demanded extra money for her luggage and became aggressive when she refused to comply.

According to the post, when she attempted to walk away and approach airport staff for assistance, the driver allegedly began shouting and behaving aggressively. “I felt unsafe due to harassment by rickshaw drivers. One driver illegally demanded extra money for luggage and threatened me,” she wrote.

The user further claimed that a second rickshaw driver followed her, refused to operate the vehicle by the meter, and verbally intimidated her after she declined to travel under his terms. “Another driver followed me, refused to go by the meter, and intimidated me verbally. The aggression and body language made me fear physical harm,” the post read.

In the image attached to the tweet, the woman detailed how the repeated confrontations left her shaken and fearful. She emphasised that no passenger should be made to feel so vulnerable, particularly at an international airport that serves as a gateway to the city. “No passenger should feel this unsafe, especially at an international airport,” she stated.

Calling for accountability, the user urged authorities to take strict action against such behaviour, warning against normalising intimidation and harassment in public spaces. She also highlighted that women are disproportionately affected by such incidents. “This intimidation affects women even more frequently and cannot be normalised,” she added.

No official response had been issued at the time of publishing. At a time when Mumbai projects itself as a global city, repeated accounts of harassment, particularly involving women, underscore a larger, unresolved concern. The question remains: how safe are women in the city’s public spaces, even at locations meant to be among the most secure?

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