The Indian capital on Monday banned taxi-booking service Uber after a woman accused one of its drivers of raping her. Transport official Satish Mathur made the announcement as the 32-year-old suspect appeared in a New Delhi court. The court ordered Shiv Kumar Yadav held for three days for police questioning over allegations that he raped the finance company employee after being hired to ferry her home from a dinner engagement on Friday night.
The CEO of San Francisco-based Uber, Travis Kalanick, said the company would do "everything to bring the perpetrator to justice and to support the victim and her family in her recovery." He also sought to deflect some of the blame on to officials, saying the company would work with the government to establish clear background checks that are "currently absent in their commercial transportation licensing programs." The New Delhi ban is a blow for Uber, which has courted acclamation and controversy around the world with a service based on hailing taxis from a smartphone app.
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government "strongly condemns this dastardly act" and pledged justice. The case, almost two years after a young woman was fatally gang raped on a bus in the capital, has renewed national anger over sexual violence in India and demands for more effort to ensure women's safety. Dozens of angry protesters rallied outside the home minister's house on Monday morning to demand more action to ensure women's safety.
IN-DEPTH
- Uber Driver in India Accused of Raping, Beating Female Passenger Is Arrested
- Tourism, Working Women Suffer After String of Rapes Across India
— The Associated Press
