Bhubaneswar, Dec. 10: Barely two days after the city police introduced five kiosks for pink autorickshaws, a woman priority service, a 17-year-old girl jumped off a running autorickshaw near Angarpada to escape molestation.

Local residents caught the autorickshaw driver, Susant Palai, 40, after the incident that took place in the Jatni police limits.

The victim, a native of Jajpur district, said that though she had asked Palai to drop her at Baramunda bus terminal, he was taking her away on another route. 'I had been to a nearby university for a training session in tailoring. This morning, I was waiting for an autorickshaw to reach Baramunda from where I was supposed to take a bus to reach Jajpur. But, the auto driver took me on another route and tried to molest me. Having no other option to save my dignity, I decided to jump from the vehicle near a market area,' she said.

The victim has suffered minor injuries after she jumped off from the running vehicle. On hearing her scream, local villagers rescued her and nabbed the accused.

'As it was 8am, a few villagers were present in the market area. We rushed to the spot, hearing the girl crying for help. Later, we handed over the auto driver to the police,' said Kedarnath Sahu, a villager.

The police arrested the accused after the victim had lodged a complaint at Jatni police station.

'The accused was arrested on charges of molestation and kidnapping,' said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

Investigation revealed that Palai, a native of Nayagarh district, had been driving the autorickshaw at Baramunda for the past few years. 'Palai was married and living at a rented house in Baramunda. He had taken a few passengers to Jatni this morning and picked the girl on his return journey to the city,' said a police official.

In another development, travelling in autorickshaws is expected to become safer for women passengers with the police planning to start the pink autorickshaw service in Cuttack.

'A feasibility study for launching the pink auto service in Cuttack is being conducted, and all aspects, including the existing set-up and problems, will be analysed,' said police commissioner R.P. Sharma.

The police said the pink auto service might be introduced in Cuttack by March-end next year after a detailed discussion with various stakeholders, including the autorickshaw associations.

The matter would be taken up at a traffic management committee meeting and the proposals would be subsequently sent for approvals from the state government.

Many women, particularly college students, have demanded the introduction of pink autorickshaw service in Cuttack due to the problems and harassment faced by them.

Das said the service should be started on prime routes connecting places such as College Square, Ranihat, Bajrakabati, Nayasarak, Choudhry Bazar, high court, Mission Road, Chandi Mandir Chhak and Kanika Chhak where several educational institutes are located.

At present, over 5,000 autorickshaws operate in Cuttack and are an integral part of the city's public transport system.

'We will shortly start a drive to get the registration number of the autos plying in the city checked from the regional transport officer and a database of vehicles, its driver and owners will be prepared shortly,' said P.K. Dalai, assistant commissioner of police (traffic).