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The Rapido bike taxi accident occurred on the morning of June 17. Sani Krishna, a 32-year-old interior designer originally from Kerala, was travelling to her office in Domlur from her home in Byrasandra. She had booked the ride through the Rapido app for what should have been a short, uneventful trip.
However, barely a kilometre in, things went badly wrong. According to Krishna, the rider tried to overtake a tractor near Bagmane Tech Park and lost control of the bike. As a result, the crash threw her onto the road, where she alleges she was run over by the same tractor the rider had attempted to pass.
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The extent of her injuries was severe. Krishna reportedly suffered multiple fractured ribs, a broken shoulder, a collapsed lung, and significant liver damage. In addition, she sustained facial trauma serious enough to require reconstructive surgery, along with an emergency splenectomy.
Following the crash, she was first taken to a nearby hospital, then moved to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for further treatment. Later, she was shifted to a hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala, to continue recovering closer to family. Even weeks afterward, Krishna said she remained bedridden and was being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Krishna says her medical expenses have already crossed ₹20 lakh, with total family care costs estimated to have surpassed ₹25 lakh — while the insurance cover tied to her ride was capped at just ₹1 lakh. Consequently, she has alleged that Rapido offered little meaningful support in the aftermath, despite the company’s public messaging around passenger and women’s safety.
In response, she shared her story in a video posted to social media, accusing the company of failing to stand by her. The post quickly went viral, drawing thousands of reactions and reigniting public scrutiny of bike taxi services in the city. Since then, several other users have reportedly reached out to Krishna, claiming they faced similar struggles getting support after their own accidents.
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For its part, Rapido has said it is in touch with Krishna regarding the incident. Nevertheless, she has disputed this, saying the company’s outreach has not translated into real assistance. As a result, she has said she plans to pursue the matter through the consumer court.
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This case adds to a string of incidents involving Rapido bike taxis in Bengaluru over the past couple of years. These include reports of harassment, safety lapses, and fatal road accidents involving Rapido riders, all of which have kept the spotlight on how well app-based bike taxi platforms protect passengers and drivers alike.
Meanwhile, as the story continues to circulate online, it has renewed calls from residents and commentators for stronger regulation of bike taxi aggregators, clearer insurance obligations, and greater transparency when accidents occur.
