A female passenger has announced legal action against ride-hailing platform PickMe, following an incident in which she was allegedly threatened and verbally abused by a driver in Colombo.
The complainant, Nadhiha Abbas, stated via social media that she is filing a criminal case against the driver involved, as well as a civil suit against PickMe on grounds of vicarious liability.
“Platforms and companies must be held accountable for the actions of their agents,” she asserted in a post detailing the incident.
According to Abbas, the incident occurred on July 3, 2025, after she booked a PickMe ride from the VFS visa office in Colombo to the Pettah Bus Stand. While the app assigned a driver named Mohamed Fahim with vehicle number JH 5752, a different driver in an unregistered vehicle arrived at the pickup location and contacted her via a personal number rather than through the app.
After refusing the suspicious ride, Abbas said she was subjected to a barrage of verbal abuse when she returned the call. The individual allegedly activated the ride without her consent and attempted to pressure her into boarding. When she left in a separate vehicle, she claimed the original driver followed her through the city, issuing threats and using offensive language in Tamil.
Alarmed, Abbas asked her new driver to take her to the Maligawatta Police Station, where she filed a formal complaint. She praised the swift response of police officials, who identified and summoned the suspect despite discrepancies in vehicle registration.
“This is not just about me — it’s about the right of every woman in this country to feel safe,” Abbas said. “The only solution is the rule of law.”
The attorney emphasized that she would pursue legal remedies not only as a matter of personal justice but also to set a precedent for corporate responsibility in the ride-hailing industry.
PickMe has yet to issue a public statement on the matter.
