Woman falls at Bengaluru auto driver's feet to apologise after thrashing him with slippers
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Bengaluru: A video clip of a 28-year-old software engineer and her husband apologising to an autorickshaw driver in the city by literally falling at his feet went viral on social media on Monday.
According to the back story, the engineer, Pankhuri Mishra, had assaulted the auto driver, Lokesh, 33, with her slippers near Centro Mall in Bellandur on Saturday afternoon, after the two-wheeler she was riding pillion on with her husband came to a screeching halt to avoid colliding with the auto driven by Lokesh.
Pankhuri, who is pregnant, claims the sudden braking could have thrown her off the two-wheeler. Worried about the well-being of the child she was carrying in her womb, Pankhuri said she attacked the auto driver — more out of shock than any real intention to harm him.
Following her assault on Lokesh, Pankhuri was arrested and released on bail by Bellandur police on Sunday.
The elaborate show of apology happened on Sunday after Pankhuri, her husband, their friends, Lokesh, his friends and family, and a group of autorickshaw drivers got together, though it is still not clear who initiated this 'truce' meeting of sorts.
Both Pankhuri and her husband touched the feet of the driver and his family members as well.
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Pankhuri's apology notwithstanding, Lokesh insisted: "I still want law to take its own course."
When Lokesh insisted that Pankhuri apologise to the whole of Karnataka, she took the help of those gathered there to spell out her apology in Kannada.
Pankhuri said: "I apologise. When there was a jerk while riding, I was worried about what would happen had I fallen off the vehicle. There is no hatred towards Kannada, Kannadigas, or auto drivers.
We love Bengaluru, we love the culture, we love the people. I apologise."
Lokesh later told TOI Pankhuri apologised for the assault and the insult she hurled at Kannadigas in general.
Sharing further details about the incident, her husband said they have been residing in Bengaluru for the last three years, and do not intend to return to their hometown.
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