What was meant to be a routine workday turned into a terrifying ordeal for an outstation cab driver in Maharashtra’s Lonavala when he was suddenly assaulted and his vehicle damaged by a man. The incident,
captured on camera, has shocked many and highlighted the growing tension between local and outstation drivers.
The case came to light after a video surfaced showing a confrontation that reportedly took place on November 15 around 7:45 PM. According to police reports, the driver had accepted a ride booked through an online cab app, unaware that the request was allegedly a setup to trap him. When he arrived at the designated location, a man identified as Sonya Gupta confronted him. What followed left the driver pleading in fear as Gupta assaulted him and vandalised his vehicle.
How The Assault Unfolded
According to a report in Free Press Journal, the driver had accepted the booking because he happened to be nearby and was taking a short break for food. Once he arrived, Gupta approached him aggressively. In the viral video, he is seen hitting the driver repeatedly and using a stone to smash both the rear and front windshields of the cab.
At one point, Gupta can be seen slapping the driver again and again while pushing him towards another vehicle. The driver appears shaken and tries to protect himself, but Gupta continues striking him without stopping.
The driver can be heard saying, “Dada, I went to have breakfast. Don’t break the car,” but Gupta continued the assault. He also punched the driver several times. The driver kept trying to tell him that he had only responded to the booking because he was already in the area, but Gupta continued to damage the car and hit him.
This incident held in Lonavala where he was taking some snack local were harming him hence ola uber ban in Lonavala, can any citizen do there job at India @CMOMaharashtra @aajtak @timesofindia @mieknathshinde @narendramodi
Please help pic.twitter.com/dktqtrb5bi
— Rahul Jaiswal (@rajanrockss786) November 16, 2025
Internet Calls Out The Violence
The clip led to strong outrage online. Many users demanded strict action and expressed concerns over the growing sense of fear among outstation drivers.
One user commented, “Shocking & outrageous! An outstation cab driver was brutally assaulted & his car vandalised in Lonavala by an individual. This gunda culture cannot be tolerated. Take strict & immediate action against the accused.”
Another said, “Such a heartbreaking video, minimum 1 year jail should be given to this rowdy.”
“Please take strict action against this person. Appropriate punishment should be ordered. This incident took place in Lonavala,” someone else demanded.
“A guy beats a cab driver in Lonavala and damages a car, acting like he owns the place. Who’s he to decide which cabs are ‘banned’? Since when do street thugs make the rules? This is pure gunda-raj. Arrest him,” a person wrote.
Police Action
According to PuneKar News, Lonavala police have detained Gupta. Senior Police Inspector of Lonavala Rural Police, Dinesh Tayde, confirmed the detention and stated that further investigation is underway.
