Actress in distress on the road in the middle of the night
Actress Sampita Pramanik. Photo: Collected.
Television actress Sampita Pramanik, known for her role in the serial Baghini, faced a hazardous ordeal on the streets of Kolkata while returning home late at night after a shoot.
She has raised serious allegations against a driver from the ride-hailing service Rapido, claiming that during an argument over the fare, the driver accelerated as she was alighting from the vehicle, dragging her along for a distance. The actress shared the details of the incident during a live broadcast on social media on Tuesday night.
According to Sampita, she booked a Rapido cab on Tuesday night near Basu Shree Cinema Hall at Hazra Crossing. Initially intending to visit a doctor in Park Street, she changed her drop-off destination to Dum Dum on the app after her shooting ran late.
The actress said that after getting into the car, she found the driver's behavior unusual and concerning. Fearing for her safety, she decided not to proceed all the way to Dum Dum and requested the driver to drop her off near Rabindra Sarobar. After repeated requests, the driver brought the vehicle to a stop near the Rabindra Sarobar Metro Station.
An argument then broke out between the two regarding the fare. Sampita said that the driver demanded the full fare calculated on the app for the destination of Dum Dum. However, since she had ended her journey early, she insisted on paying only for the distance traveled.
Sampita alleged that while her phones were in her pocket, her heavy shooting bag was still inside the car. As she was trying to retrieve her bag and step out, the driver suddenly accelerated. She lost her balance and was pulled along with the moving vehicle for some distance, noting that any minor loss of footing could have resulted in a severe accident.
She further recounted her panic that the driver might speed off with her bag and belongings, though she managed to secure her possessions before stepping away. Shaken by the incident, she described being in a state of severe shock, with trembling hands and feet, while a few bystanders stepped in to help calm her down.
Sampita expressed strong frustration with Rapido's emergency response, claiming that she repeatedly attempted to reach their safety helpline during the incident but received no effective assistance. She questioned the utility of safety helpline systems if they fail to provide immediate support during critical situations.
Following the incident, Sampita announced her intention to file a written police complaint against the accused driver at the Kalighat Police Station, demanding a thorough investigation to prevent similar occurrences for other commuters.
