A recent incident in Bengaluru’s Bellandur area has garnered widespread attention after a video surfaced showing a woman assaulting an auto-rickshaw driver with her slipper. The altercation occurred near Centro Mall when the woman, identified as 28-year-old software engineer Pankhuri Mishra, accused the driver, Lokesh, of running over her foot. Lokesh denied the allegation, stating there was no contact between their vehicles.
The situation escalated when Mishra began striking Lokesh with her slipper, an act captured on video by both her husband and Lokesh himself. The footage quickly went viral, leading to public outrage and the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against Mishra.
In the aftermath, Mishra and her husband publicly apologized to Lokesh, even falling at his feet in a gesture of contrition. Mishra cited concerns about her pregnancy and fear of a potential miscarriage as reasons for her reaction. She emphasized her affection for Bengaluru and its culture, stating, “We love Bengaluru, we love the culture and we love the people.”
The incident has sparked discussions on public conduct, road safety, and the role of social media in amplifying such events. While Mishra has been released on station bail, the legal proceedings are ongoing.
