Kottayam: The assault of an online taxi driver by women passengers in Kochi is snowballing into a big issue.With police registering non bailable charges against driver Shafeeq, Central Range Inspector General of Police P Vijayan has launched an independent probe in the wake of police being accused of protecting the women.Police is said to be going soft on the three women who allegedly hit the driver injuring him.

The incident occurred the other day when they had booked the taxi on a sharing basis. But when the taxi arrived it had a male passenger and the women wanted the driver to evict the male. The driver refused to do so, resulting in arguments and ending up in violence.

People who gathered in the area intervened and alerted the police who booked all the four charging only a petty case against the women.

CCTV visuals show the women assaulting the driver who has been ironically booked for assaulting and outraging the modesty of the women.