Bengaluru techie’s death in lake raises concerns over toxic work culture and management abuse

Nikhil Somavanshi, a 25-year-old techie from Bengaluru, was found dead in Agara Lake. Allegations of toxic work culture and management abuse at his AI company have surfaced, prompting an FIR and investigation into his tragic death.

Bengaluru: The body of 25-year-old techie Nikhil Somavanshi was found in Agara Lake on May 8, reportedly after he jumped into the lake due to work-related stress. Nikhil was a Machine Learning Engineer at Krutirim, an AI company owned by Ola. The incident has only recently come to public attention.

Nearly two weeks after the discovery, allegations have emerged on Reddit and in media reports suggesting that Nikhil took his life due to a toxic work culture at Krutirim. An FIR has been filed to investigate these claims.

Nikhil, a postgraduate from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, joined Krutirim in August 2024. The company, a subsidiary of Ola, specialises in artificial intelligence.

Former employees allege that Nikhil, who was a bright student with a 9.30 GPA, faced immense pressure from his US-based manager, Rajkiran Panuganti. They claim Nikhil was burdened with responsibilities left behind by colleagues who resigned due to Panuganti’s behaviour.

A Reddit user named 'Kirgawakutzo' accused Panuganti of abusive language and fostering a toxic work environment, leading to multiple resignations.

Krutirim expressed sadness over Nikhil’s death and confirmed cooperation with authorities. They stated Nikhil was on leave at the time of the incident.

According to Krutirim, Nikhil requested personal leave on April 8, which was granted immediately. On April 17, he reported feeling better, and his leave was extended. However, Reddit users alleged that the manager continued his abusive behaviour even after Nikhil’s death.

Several current and former Krutirim employees, speaking anonymously, described the manager as aggressive and condescending, frequently belittling junior staff and calling them incompetent.

A former employee revealed they resigned despite not having another job due to the unbearable work environment. Other reports highlighted similar complaints about the manager’s poor people management skills, including instances of yelling and verbal abuse during meetings.

Nikhil’s death has drawn parallels to the recent case of Anna Sebastian, a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) employee who died of a heart attack, with her family attributing her death to work-related stress and long hours.