E-rickshaw driver forced to push vehicle for 3 km after app prank leaves him in tears

A video of an e-rickshaw driver pushing his vehicle for kilometres after someone allegedly switched off its battery using a smartphone app has reignited concerns over a dangerous prank that is disrupting the livelihoods of drivers across India.

The video was shared on X by user Dilip Rana, who documented the incident involving an e-rickshaw driver left stranded after his vehicle was remotely disabled.

In the clip, a man filming the incident approached an e-rickshaw driver who was seen pushing his vehicle along the roadside. When asked what had happened, the visibly distressed driver says his vehicle had stopped working.

The man then asked if someone had switched off the battery using their mobile phone, to which the driver replied in the affirmative.

The driver said he had already pushed the e-rickshaw for over three kilometres after it suddenly stopped functioning.

The man then opened the BAT-BMS app on his own phone, connected to the e-rickshaw's battery management system and switched the battery back on. Moments later, the vehicle powered up again, prompting the relieved driver to fold his hands in gratitude and thank the man for helping him.

The incident came amid growing concern over the misuse of the BAT-BMS app, a legitimate battery management application developed to monitor and control compatible Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries.

However, the app has recently been misused by pranksters who remotely disable certain e-rickshaws fitted with poorly secured Bluetooth-enabled battery management systems. Through this app, anyone within Bluetooth range can connect to the battery and disable its discharge function, immediately cutting power to the vehicle.

According to the caption accompanying the viral clip, the driver was forced to push his e-rickshaw nearly three kilometres after someone remotely disabled it using the app, costing him an entire day's earnings. The post also alleged that some social media creators have been carrying out such pranks for online content at the expense of poor drivers.

Watch the video here:

The video sparked widespread outrage online, with many users pointing out that such pranks could have consequences far beyond inconveniencing drivers.

Several warned that if an e-rickshaw carrying passengers was suddenly switched off during an emergency or while travelling through busy traffic, it could endanger lives and delay people trying to reach hospitals, examinations or other urgent destinations.

Many others described the trend as cruel, arguing that e-rickshaws were the sole source of income for countless families and that many drivers were unaware of how to reactivate their batteries without paying mechanics for assistance.

Several users urged authorities to take action against those misusing the app, while others said stronger cybersecurity protections were urgently needed to stop legitimate battery management tools from being exploited for viral social media content.