By Chaminda Tilakumara –

Chaminda Tilakumara

In the early hours of Saturday, 2 August 2025, my young daughter in Colombo was violently assaulted while exercising her right to safe public transport during what should have been a routine Uber ride home. The incident, involving a registered Uber driver and vehicle, exposes serious violations of passenger safety, failures of corporate duty of care, and the absence of effective regulatory protection for users of app-based transport services in Sri Lanka. It raises urgent questions about how far private transport platforms can operate without being held accountable for the safety and dignity of those who rely on them.

A Ride That Ended in Violence

Shortly after 2.20 a.m., my daughter booked an Uber ride from a popular nightlife area in Colombo to her residence in Colombo 05, selecting card payment through the app.

The Uber driver, operating a three-wheeler bearing registration number WP QH 7368—arrived at the pickup point. During the journey, he insisted that payment be made in cash, directly contradicting the booking terms. Given the late hour and her safety concerns, my daughter complied.

The Uber app has no provision to change the payment method to cash. To avoid being charged twice, she cancelled the ride mid-journey. The driver stopped at a petrol station and demanded cash be handed over. Near her home, she exited the vehicle to retrieve the remaining balance. Moments later, the driver approached from behind, snatched her phone, and when she tried to retrieve it, dragged her approximately 70 meters along the road before fleeing. She sustained injuries to her legs, knees, and lower back, requiring hospital treatment.

Data Gaps and Delayed Corporate Response

In the aftermath, my daughter and our family faced repeated barriers seeking assistance from Uber Sri Lanka. Despite police involvement and medical documentation, Uber initially denied the booking had taken place, delaying access to critical trip and driver information. Her Uber account remained locked for days, preventing retrieval of ride records essential to the investigation.

Calls to Uber support offered no practical help, and at no point did the company inquire about my daughter’s injuries or wellbeing. Only after escalation to Uber Sri Lanka’s Country Manager was limited account access restored—and even then, key ride data appeared missing. Driver details were eventually shared with police, but only after significant delay. It was ultimately law enforcement—not corporate cooperation—that led to the recovery of the stolen phone and the driver’s confession.

A Pattern, Not an Exception

This incident reveals more than an isolated lapse. The delays, denials, and lack of victim support highlight systemic failures in emergency response, data transparency, and corporate accountability. My daughter’s ordeal underscores the urgent need for stricter oversight and regulation of ride-hailing platforms in Sri Lanka, to ensure that the rights, safety, and dignity of passengers are never secondary to corporate convenience.

My daughter’s ordeal exposes serious gaps in passenger safety, corporate accountability, and regulatory oversight. Urgent reforms are needed to ensure ride-hailing services in Sri Lanka protect the rights, dignity, and safety of every passenger.