Bengaluru: A routine bike-taxi ride to work on June 17 turned into a life-altering ordeal for city-based interior designer Sani Krishna, reigniting concerns over the safety of bike-taxi services and the accountability of aggregators. Travelling from Byrasandra to her office in Domlur, she met with a severe accident barely a kilometre into the ride.The 32-year-old had barely begun her ride when tragedy struck. Before she had even covered a kilometre, she was run over by a tractor. “The Rapido driver was riding recklessly, tried to overtake a tractor, lost control, and I got run over. I suffered seven rib fractures, had my spleen removed, underwent plastic surgery on my face, and have a broken shoulder,” Sani said, recalling the traumatic moment.Even 15 days after the accident, Sani, a native of Kozhikode in Kerala, says she remains bedridden and is undergoing therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. She was initially taken to a nearby hospital and later shifted to Manipal Hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries.Despite the severity of the incident, Sani has alleged that the aggregator Rapido has not taken responsibility. “Despite choosing a feature that promised additional safety for women, I have not experienced the level of support or accountability I expected after this tragedy,” she wrote on social media.In an audio clip claiming to be from a call recording, a customer care executive is heard saying: “How can any company be responsible for these things”. Adwaith P, Sani’s cousin, said the aggregator had promised to provide insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh in case of an accident and Rs 1 Lakh for medical expenses.“We have contacted Rapido multiple times, but there has been no proper response. We have already spent over ₹25 lakh on her treatment and still need more funds. Despite booking a women-safe ride, what kind of safety is being provided? People should think twice before booking such services. My sister was very talented in singing and dancing; now she is bedridden,” Adwaith P added.Following online outrage, the aggregator issued an official response stating that it is in touch with the family and is investigating the matter. “We have been in touch with the family and will continue to stay closely connected to ensure they receive all the support and assistance we are able to provide,” Rapido said.Sani’s brother Dibul P told TOI that despite the assurance, no compensation has been agreed upon so far. “She is not someone who usually takes bike taxis; she even has her own car in Bengaluru. We had filed an FIR locally through a friend. The police have already obtained CCTV footage from the area, but we have not been given access to it, and there hasn’t been much progress yet,” Dibul said.Based on a complaint filed by Sani’s friend Achyut, the Jeevan Bhima Nagar Traffic Police have registered an FIR in the case. The tractor driver Parashuram Achari and bike taxi rider Asis Bag have been booked under Sections 125(b) and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rash and negligent driving and endangering human life.
