Delhi woman hides in Uttarakhand forest overnight to escape rape attempt by taxi driver

A lonely journey turned into a night of terror for a Delhi woman who spent the whole night hiding in a forest in Uttarakhand, injured and without her mobile phone, to escape a rape attempt by a taxi driver.

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, the 31-year-old woman arrived in Kathgodam from Delhi via Dehradun and hired a cab to go to Nainital. Police said that at around 1.30am on the road, the taxi driver diverted his vehicle to a deserted road in Patwa Dangar near Lake City.

The police stated that after the woman objected, the driver stopped the vehicle and started harassing and beating her, and also took the woman’s mobile phone and attempted to rape her.

To save herself, the woman ran towards the forest and hid in the forest for the night. He somehow managed to reach Patwa Dangar village on Friday morning, March 6, and filed a police report with the help of locals.

The police took action immediately. Police said they collected evidence and sent the woman for medical examination of the victim.

They said that based on the woman’s complaint, a case was registered under the chapters of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on punishment for rape, robbery and kidnapping.

Police tracked the accused driver, identified as Deepak Singh Bora (39) of Pines Bhawali Road, using CCTV cameras, taxi number and GPS system.

Police said the victim’s stolen mobile phone was recovered from Bora, a resident of Haldwani, and his vehicle was also seized.

Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manjunath TC said that the safety of tourists and general public is the top priority in Nainital and strict legal action will be taken against those who commit such crimes.

He also warned taxi owners and asked them to check their documents before handing over their vehicles to the drivers. Failure to comply with orders will result in strict sanctions against them.

Mr. Manjunath added that the accused involved in the incident was also driving someone else’s taxi.