New Town app-bike spat sparks protests; woman fired, harassed | Kolkata News
Kolkata: What began as an argument over a cancelled app-bike ride has snowballed into a controversy over public shaming, job loss and alleged harassment, leaving a woman in New Town largely confined to her home under police watch.Days after a video was circulated, showing the woman verbally abusing the app biker, she found herself at the centre of a social media storm that spilled on to the streets, culminating in protests outside her residence. While many continued to target her online, a growing section of social media has questioned the public vilification and her dismissal from work over an incident not related to her professional duties.The confrontation took place on Sunday after the biker confronted the woman on a live video stream, accusing her of booking two bikes simultaneously and cancelling his ride after he travelled more than 2 km to pick her up. The video quickly spread across social media. The backlash, however, did not stop there. Since Tuesday night, groups of riders and other men allegedly began gathering outside her New Town residence, filming videos, demanding a public apology, and hurling abuse. The situation escalated on Wednesday when, according to police and local sources, protesters allegedly dragged her out of home, prompting her to seek police help.“We received a call on the 100 helpline on Tuesday night from a woman who alleged that some people had gheraoed her residence. A police team immediately reached the spot, brought the situation under control and dispersed the crowd,” a Bidhannagar City Police officer said.“We understand that the woman misbehaved with the rider, but no one has the right to physically harass or intimidate her. If either side wants legal action, they must lodge a formal complaint,” the officer added.Police said the woman apologised multiple times, claiming she lost her temper because she was running late for work and had to log in by 10.30 am.As outrage mounted, the firm where she was employed terminated her services on Tuesday.“She was working with us for the last eight months. We did not receive any formal complaint against her, but after seeing the video, we felt the incident could affect the company’s reputation and professional image. Accordingly, her services were terminated with immediate effect,” said a senior manager of the firm.The episode has since triggered a wider debate online. Several users, like Swapan Mondal, argued on X that while the woman’s behaviour was unacceptable, the subsequent harassment, exposure of her personal details and circulation of her termination letter amounted to vigilantism that could have long-term consequences for her safety and career.“The girl made a mistake but what a section of people is doing with her is outright harassment and calls for immediate police action,” wrote Kishore Khamrai, a Facebook user.
