A serious road accident on a Rapido bike taxi in Bengaluru has raised concern about passenger safety and corporate accountability following a 32-year-old woman’s severe injuries, after which her family claimed that the company did not offer sufficient help following the accident.
The victim was Sani Krishna, an interior designer from Kerala employed in Bengaluru who was on her way to the office when the accident occurred. Sani had booked a Rapido bike taxi from her home in Bairasandra to go to work at Domlur.
The accident took place less than a kilometre into the journey, family members said. They said the bike taxi driver tried to overtake a tractor in a reckless manner and was in no control of the motorcycle. Sani fell into the road and was later run over by the tractor and seriously injured.
Following the accident, she was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency medical care before being taken to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for advanced medical care. Considering the severity of her condition, she was sent to Mithras Hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala, where she is still receiving treatment.
The family said injuries were severe in the crash. Sani suffered fractures to many ribs, serious damage to her lungs and liver and severe facial injuries requiring plastic surgery. The accident was about two weeks ago, and she is still bedridden and under medical care and rehabilitation.
The financial burden of the treatment has also become a major concern. Medical expenses are already approaching ₹20 lakh and are under huge pressure for the family. Rapido has not provided any kind of financial help or compensation to pay the mounting medical expenses, they say.
Sani recently posted a video on Instagram where she talked about the difficulties she has been through since the accident. In that video, she challenged the company’s claim of passenger safety, saying that though bike taxi services promote women’s safety in advertisements and marketing campaigns, support after a major accident has been inadequate.
She said nine of her ribs were broken and she had to undergo facial reconstructive surgery after the crash. The injured woman expressed disappointment at the lack of serious support from the company despite her condition and medical costs, which were growing.
The family said they had sent legal notices to the company seeking support and compensation. But they say the response was more of an email-based insurance process they were directed to and not on relief and financial assistance in any instance. The family has said they may pursue legal action and go to consumer courts to pursue this.
As for Rapido's response to the allegations, Rapido said it was in contact with the victim's family and is committed to providing all possible assistance. Sani’s family claims that no financial support or compensation has been received so far.
The incident has generated a lot of discussion on social media, with many users expressing concern about passenger safety in bike taxi services and demanding that ride-hailing companies take more accountability. They have called for authorities to investigate the accident thoroughly and take appropriate action.
As the case continues to attract public attention, it has reignited broader debates about road safety, rider training, insurance coverage, and the responsibilities of app-based transport companies when passengers are involved in serious accidents.
