Bengaluru Rapido accident: Injured woman seeks accountability after near-fatal crash

An interior designer who suffered severe injuries in a road accident in Bengaluru while pillion riding a two-wheeler from ride-hailing app Rapido has sought accountability from the aggregator for the accident that has left her immobile.

Sani Krishna, 32, came under the wheels of a tractor, around 300 metres from her residence in Byrasandra near the Bagmane Tech park on June 17, when she was heading to her office in Domlur in east Bengaluru on a Rapido scooter she had booked that morning.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) in the case, the scooter rider, Ashis Bag, “was riding very fast and in a reckless manner” and crashed into a tractor, which was also “being driven in a negligent manner,” on the narrow road, and the right wheel of the tractor ran over Sani Krishna’s face and body after she fell down.

The severely injured Sani Krishna, whose face, ribs, and spleen were damaged after she was run over by the tractor, was initially admitted at a private hospital in Bengaluru before her parents moved her to a private facility in their hometown of Kozhikode in Kerala amid rising treatment costs.

Sani Krishna in happier times. (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement)

The Jeevan Bheema Nagar traffic police station lodged a case of rash and negligent driving against the Rapido rider Ashis Bag and the tractor driver Parashuram Achari based on a complaint by Sani Krishna’s friend Achyut Mahajan, 29, who was informed about the accident.

“She was going out to work in the morning. She booked a ride on Rapido, and she chose the Women’s Safety feature. When she boarded, the rider was going at a high speed and crashed into a tractor around 300 metres from her home. The Rapido people have not responded despite being in touch,” Sani Krishna’s brother Arjun Krishna told a Malayalam channel in Kozhikode this week.

Exchanges on social media

Soon after the accident, Sani Krishna’s friend Achyut Mahajan flagged the incident on social media on June 18. “A horrific accident caused by a @rapidobike driver’s gross negligence in Bengaluru has left my friend fighting for her life. The driver recklessly overtook a tractor at high speed and slipped, causing the tractor to run over her,” Mahajan said on X.

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“Shockingly, @rapidobike support has been completely apathetic. They closed our chat while we were in the hospital and ignored all messages. We demand immediate action and full accountability for her ongoing medical care,” he said in the posts on X tagging Rapido.

On June 20, Rapido Cares reverted to Sani Krishna’s friend on social media, saying, “We are truly sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident. Customer well-being is very important to us, and this is not the experience we want our customers to have. We take such incidents very seriously.”

“As per the review, we addressed your concern on the call and shared the necessary details with you via email. We are also implementing stricter ride guidelines and enhanced safety measures to maintain safe and reliable ride experiences on our platform,” it also stated.

According to Achyut Mahajan, a city manager’s team from Rapido subsequently met him on June 26 and indicated that Rapido does not have control over the riding by its riders and that the firm cannot be held accountable.

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Mahajan said he subsequently contacted higher authorities like the PMO and CMO, and Rapido responded by seeking time to address the issue.

Later, Sani Krishna herself posted about her plight on her social media handle, saying, “Ten days ago, my life changed forever. I trusted @rapidoapp ‘Women Safety’ feature, but a driver’s negligence left me crushed under a tractor, fighting for my life in the ICU.”

“Passenger safety cannot just be a marketing button on an app. It requires actual accountability. Rapido has completely abandoned me while my family drowns in medical bills. I am asking for your prayers and asking you to share this post to hold them accountable,” she said in her post.

In its response to Sani Krishna’s post, Rapido app said, “Hi Sani, we are deeply saddened to learn about the incident and truly understand your concern.

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“Further, we are already in touch with you regarding this matter. We request you to kindly allow us some time to complete the investigation so that we can assist you accordingly. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

Sani Krishna, however, called for more accountability from Rapido.

“Being ‘in touch’ meant your team sent a template email attempting to force a Rs 1 Lakh third-party insurance cap on my Rs 13.6+ Lakh ICU bills. Your representatives explicitly told my friends in person that you are not liable for how your drivers drive. There is nothing left to ‘investigate’ – your driver crushed me under a tractor while I was using your Women Safety feature, and you abandoned me,” she said.

Rapido’s response

When contacted, a Rapido spokesperson said the firm had helped initiate the insurance claim process in accordance with the policy for bike services.

“We are deeply saddened by this incident. As soon as the matter came to our attention, our team reached out to the family, visited the hospital to offer support in person, and helped initiate the insurance claim process with our insurance partner, in accordance with the applicable policy for bike services,” the spokesperson said.

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“Our hearts go out to the injured individual and her family during this incredibly difficult time. We stand firmly with the family and remain in close contact with them, and will extend all possible help and support as they navigate the days ahead. Their well-being and recovery are our priority, and we are committed to being there for them in whatever way we can,” the spokesperson added.