For 32-year-old Sani Krishna, a Rapido bike taxi ride to work ended in a nightmare that left her with life-threatening injuries and medical expenses exceeding Rs 20 lakh.
Now, the Bengaluru-based interior designer has accused the company of failing to support her after the accident and has vowed to take the matter to consumer court.
Sani, who is originally from Kerala, said the accident took place on June 17 after she booked a Rapido bike taxi for her daily commute from Byrasandra to her office in Domlur. According to her, the ride had barely covered a kilometre when the rider allegedly attempted to overtake a tractor near Bagmane Tech Park.
She claimed the reckless manoeuvre caused the motorcycle to lose balance, throwing her onto the road before the tractor ran over her, leaving her critically injured.
Sani was first rushed to a nearby hospital before being shifted to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, where she underwent multiple surgeries.
She was later transferred to Mithras Hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala, for further treatment and rehabilitation.
Sharing her experience on Instagram, Sani accused the company of failing to live up to the safety assurances it advertises.
“Rapido spends millions marketing their women’s safety feature. On June 17, I trusted them for my morning commute. Instead, I was crushed under a tractor and they abandoned me,” she said.
She further alleged that after serving the company with a legal notice, she was met only with automated emails directing her towards the insurance claims process.
Watch the video:
“Then I understood that I was not alone. So many people have shared their experience and said they also struggled to get support from them. Rapido Safety Guarantee is a marketing lie and I am taking them to consumer court. They can no longer treat our lives as collateral damage,” she added, urging people to share her video and help hold the company accountable.
Following the backlash, Rapido responded to the viral posts, stating that it was in touch with Sani regarding the matter.
However, Sani rejected the company’s claim, alleging that she had effectively been left to rely on an insurance payout of Rs 1 lakh while bearing the overwhelming cost of her treatment.
Rapido has also issued an elaborate statement, saying: “Sani’s well-being has remained Rapido’s foremost concern since the very beginning, and our thoughts continue to be with her and her family during this difficult time. From the moment this matter came to our attention, Rapido acted swiftly to extend every possible form of assistance. Our customer support and operations teams have been in continuous touch with the family, meeting them in person and walking them through the insurance claims process applicable to rides booked on the Rapido platform.”
The statement also added that Rapido, on multiple occasions, has “shared the exact process required to initiate the claim and has consistently offered to help coordinate submission of the necessary documents with our insurance partner, so that the claim can be processed at the earliest and in line with the applicable policy.”
Rapido, however, said the insurance claim cannot be processed until the required claim form and supporting documents are submitted by or on behalf of the claimant. “Despite our repeated outreach, this documentation has not yet been provided,” the spokesperson said, adding that the company remains ready to facilitate the claim immediately upon receiving the necessary paperwork and will continue working with its insurance partner to ensure it is processed expeditiously.
The company also said it has extended support beyond its contractual obligations and wished Sani a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have rallied behind Sani on social media. Many have flooded the comments section with messages of support, while others shared similar experiences of struggling to receive assistance after accidents involving bike taxi services.
Several users have also urged authorities to investigate the incident and sought greater accountability from ride-hailing platforms over passenger safety and post-accident support.
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