'Will leave Bengaluru': Rajasthan man alleges auto drivers chased car, blocked path, attacked him in Tech Park

BENGALURU: A minor accident on Sarjapur Road on March 25 allegedly escalated into a road rage incident.

A man identified as Shriraj Bhardwaj, 31, a native of Ajmer in Rajasthan, has shared details of the incident on X, stating that it occurred around 8.20pm when he and his colleague were returning home and encountered an autorickshaw bearing registration number KA-01-AN-4438 allegedly coming on the wrong side.

A negligible touch allegedly between his car and the auto — no damage, nothing serious. But that was enough. What followed was not an argument; it was a chase.

"The auto driver started aggressively chasing us, trying to block our car multiple times in moving traffic, hitting the vehicle and attempting to open the doors. We chose not to engage and instead tried to reach a safe place. Then it escalated further. Another auto bearing registration number KA-01-AS-8794 joined him. Together, they blocked our path near Sarjapur bridge. One of them picked up a concrete stone and smashed our windshield while we were still inside," he posted.

"We somehow managed to reach RGA Tech Park, thinking a gated office space would mean safety. It didn't. Both drivers followed us inside. Before I could even step out of the car, I was physically assaulted and repeatedly hit in the face, leaving me injured," he stated in the post.

The situation calmed down after the main accused fled. When police arrived, the second driver apologised in front of them.

Shriraj stated this was not "road rage" but unchecked violence. "Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated story anymore. Too many people in Bengaluru have had similar experiences but choose to stay silent. Honestly, after this incident, I have made up my mind — I am going to leave Bengaluru and never come back. If this is the state of our roads, then something is seriously broken. Stay alert. Avoid confrontation. And most importantly, don't assume you're safe just because you've done nothing wrong," he said.

In the post, he shared links to dashcam footage showing the auto coming in the wrong direction, chasing and stopping his car, calling police helpline 112 while being chased, and the auto driver smashing the windshield. He also shared a medical report of him undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

Bellandur police said, "We have registered a non-cognisable report (NCR) and traced the auto driver. We have been trying to contact the complainant for the last three days to record his statement for further action. However, he informed us that he is out of the state and is yet to visit the station after he filed the complaint."

The auto driver alleged his vehicle was damaged and that he was asking them to stop the car and sort out the issue, but they did not stop, which led to the incident.