Key Points:

A recent solo trip by a woman from Delhi took a drastic turn after she had to spend the night in an Uttarakhand forest to escape a rape attempt by her taxi driver. The incident reportedly occurred on March 6, 2026, when a woman in her early 30s planned a solo trip. The victim hired a taxi to Nainital after she reached Kathgodam from Delhi via Dehradun.

The police stated that the vehicle was diverted to an empty road with no one around in Patwa Dangar near the lake city. According to the police, the unusual diversion was made at around 1:30 a.m. The sudden shift in route was immediately objected to by the woman, causing panic. She claimed the taxi driver stopped the vehicle to verbally abuse and assault her. She added that her belongings, including her mobile phone, were taken away. The taxi driver allegedly attempted to rape her, the police said.

Worried and panicked, the woman made a daring escape to save herself. She escaped to a nearby forest and stayed hidden for hours. The following morning, she reached Patwa Dangar village on March 6, 2026. The Hindu reported that she filed a police report there with the help of the locals. She was injured and had no access to a mobile phone while she was hiding in the woods from the perpetrator.

See Also: Bombay High Court Cuts Life Term to 12 Years in Minor Rape Case, Citing Reform and Long Jail Time

An investigation was initiated immediately following the complaint. The police stated that they sent the victim for a medical examination after completing the process of evidence collection from the scene of the crime.

After the complaint, the police registered a case against the suspect under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with punishment for rape, robbery, and abduction. The investigation identified the taxi number of the suspect through CCTV footage. The police tracked the taxi driver's identity as Deepak Singh Bora, a 39-year-old man from Pines Bhawali Road.

The police recovered the victim’s mobile phone from the accused, who is a resident of Gujraula, Haldwani. They also seized the accused's vehicle as part of the investigation. According to a report by The New Indian Express, Bora was taken into judicial custody, and the incident has sparked widespread outrage among local trade bodies and taxi unions, who have demanded punishment for the accused.

Manjunath T.C., Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police, emphasised that the safety of tourists is a priority in Nainital. Manjunath added that the accused was driving someone else’s taxi, which was seized by the police. He warned taxi owners to verify the paperwork before giving their vehicles to drivers.

[VS]

Suggested Reading: