Thiruvananthapuram police have stepped up surveillance in the city following the arrest of a bike taxi driver on charges of sexually harassing a woman passenger during a ride.

The incident occurred around 4.30 pm on May 27. The complainant had booked a two-wheeler taxi through Uber from her residence in Kazhakkoottam to a location near Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in the city.

According to the Pettah police, the alleged harassment occurred shortly after the vehicle passed Lulu Mall. The accused, identified as Midhun Murugan, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, touched the woman's thigh while she was travelling on the scooter. When she objected, he allegedly repeated the act and made sexually explicit remarks.

The woman later approached the Pettah police, following which a case was registered against the accused. Police said they traced the suspect using details obtained from the ride-hailing platform. Investigators opened a complaint ticket alleging that the passenger had left a personal belonging in the vehicle. Uber subsequently shared the rider's contact details to facilitate its retrieval, enabling officers to identify and locate the accused.

"We received the rider's phone number through the platform and used it to trace and apprehend him," a police official said.

Midhun was arrested and produced before a court in Thiruvananthapuram, which remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days. He was later lodged in the Thiruvananthapuram Sub Jail. He has been booked under Sections 75(1)(i) (sexual harassment) and 79 (acts, words or gestures intended to insult the modesty of a woman or intrude upon her privacy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, police said the growing popularity of bike taxi services in areas around Technopark and Lulu Mall has raised concerns over passenger safety.

"These services are increasingly being used by solo travellers because they are affordable and convenient. However, there are concerns regarding driver verification and the ease with which individuals can register on such platforms. We are planning discussions with service providers and will strengthen surveillance measures to prevent similar incidents," the official said.

The accused was arrested by a team comprising Sub-Inspectors Sabu Kumar and Manoj, and Civil Police Officers Radhakrishnan and Jeebu.