Summary The arrest followed the alleged rape of a young woman by an Uber driver in New Delhi.
NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indian police said Tuesday they have arrested an Uber driver for sexual harassment after a complaint from a female passenger that has raised fresh concerns over the safety of the taxi service.
The arrest followed the alleged rape of a young woman by an Uber driver in New Delhi last year that sparked criticism of the company s safety checks.
The alleged victim in the latest case told police the driver had tried to "forcibly" kiss her after dropping her at her destination in Gurgaon, a satellite city southwest of Delhi.
Police commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk told AFP by text message that the driver, a 40-year-old Delhi resident, had been arrested on sexual harassment charges.
India introduced strict new laws on harassment following the brutal gang rape of a 26-year-old physiotherapy student on a Delhi bus in 2012.
Uber, which connect passengers to drivers through a smartphone app, said the driver had been suspended.
"Uber has a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour and immediate action has already been taken with the driver partner being deactivated while the matter is being thoroughly investigated," it said in a statement.
Uber was accused of failing to conduct adequate background checks following last year s alleged rape.
It was subsequently ordered off Delhi s roads, but resumed services after applying for a new licence to operate as a radio taxi service -- an application that is still pending.
The US-based company has expanded rapidly in recent years, but it has faced hurdles from regulators in many locations and protests from traditional taxi services.
