A Dalit cab driver in Lucknow alleged Rapido suspended his account for nearly a century after he asked passengers to leave over casteist remarks.
A Dalit cab driver in Lucknow has alleged that ride-hailing platform Rapido suspended him for nearly a century after he asked four passengers to leave his vehicle due to an argument over caste. The driver, identified as Ankit Kumar, claimed the company suspended his account without first seeking his version of events.
The incident reportedly unfolded when he picked up four passengers from Utrathiya railway station for a ride to Charbagh railway station. He claimed that during the trip, they began discussing a senior official and allegedly used casteist language while questioning his abilities.
Driver said he was not contacted by the company before the suspension
In a video posted on X, he was seen confronting the passengers, saying, "You said, 'What will happen if you make a Chamar man a triple C?' How could you say that? Who are you to decide whether a Chamar man will become something or whether a Pandit will? Who are you to decide that?"
He then asked the passengers to leave his vehicle and said he would be calling the police. "You used a casteist word. How could you use a casteist word? How can you directly refer to someone by their caste?" Their exchange soon turned heated, with passengers also asking him to call the police.
In a subsequent video, Kumar claimed he did not know the passengers beforehand. He said despite asking them not to make casteist remarks, they continued targeting his caste. He confronted them and asked them to get down.
After passengers filed a complaint with Rapido, Kumar alleged the company did not contact him and suspended his account for 99 years and 11 months, ending on July 19, 2126.
Kumar holds a diploma in mechanical engineering and is the primary breadwinner in his family. He said the suspension has created financial difficulties.
