New Delhi, July 3, 2026: A heartbreaking video circulating across Indian social media has sparked widespread outrage, exposing a cruel and highly hazardous internet “prank” trend that target vulnerable e-rickshaw drivers. In the widely shared footage, a visibly distressed and exhausted driver is seen in tears after being forced to push his vehicle for over three kilometers in the sweltering heat. His vehicle had suddenly ground to a halt mid-journey after unknown miscreants used a smartphone application to exploit his vehicle’s open Bluetooth connection and completely shut down its power supply. This thoughtless social media stunt—carried out by content creators chasing viral views on Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter)—has highlighted a severe cyber-security flaw in the country’s booming light electric vehicle sector, turning a tool meant for routine maintenance into a digital weapon against low-income earners.
The technology behind this disturbing trend relies on basic utility applications, primarily “BAT-BMS” and “Lossigy,” which are readily available on the Google Play Store. These legitimate software applications are designed by manufacturers to allow real-time monitoring of Bluetooth-enabled lithium-ion battery packs, tracking critical metrics such as voltage, cell temperature, and charge cycles. However, because many budget, Chinese-manufactured Battery Management Systems (BMS) flooded into the Indian market without standard password protections or authentication protocols, they broadcast an open signal. Anyone standing within a 15-meter Bluetooth range can download these third-party apps, effortlessly connect to a nearby e-rickshaw’s battery, and tap a “Discharge Switch” that cuts off the vehicle’s power entirely.
Technical Vulnerability Breakdown
The physical mechanics of how this cyber-prank overrides traditional vehicle security explains why drivers are left completely helpless on the road.
For the affected drivers, the consequences of this security gap are financially devastating. Many e-rickshaw drivers do not own their vehicles; instead, they rent them for roughly ₹450 a day, relying entirely on continuous daily fares to cover rental costs, charging fees, and basic household expenses. When a vehicle is remotely disabled, turning the ignition key does absolutely nothing because the battery itself has been locked out at the software level. Drivers unaware of this digital scam are left assuming their expensive lithium battery has suffered a permanent mechanical failure. They are often forced to lose a full day’s wages, pay for emergency towing services, or drag the heavy three-wheeler for miles to a mechanic, only to discover that the issue was entirely artificial.
Beyond the immediate economic toll inflicted on working-class families, the trend presents a severe public safety hazard on congested Indian roads. E-rickshaws frequently ferry passengers through heavily crowded market areas and fast-moving intersections. When a prankster abruptly hits the digital “kill switch,” a moving vehicle cuts out instantly without warning, risking severe rear-end collisions from trailing traffic. Commuters, including students racing to exams and individuals trying to reach hospitals, are left stranded in traffic bottlenecks caused by the dead vehicles. Recognizing the growing danger, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh confirmed that the government has launched an official probe, directing the transport department to audit the authenticity of these applications and examine the systemic lack of security configurations in low-cost imports.
Legal and cybersecurity experts have warned that these actions cross the line from harmless pranks into serious criminal offenses. Pawan Duggal, Chairman of the International Commission on Cyber Security Law, stated that modern electric vehicles function essentially as moving computer systems. Consequently, unauthorized remote access to a vehicle’s battery management system constitutes a direct violation under Section 66, read alongside Section 43, of India’s Information Technology Act, 2000. This makes the act a punishable cybercrime involving fraudulent and dishonest tampering with a computer system, which carries severe penalties and potential jail time for perpetrators.
The viral incident has ultimately shifted public focus toward the broader, unregulated landscape of imported consumer hardware components. Industrial experts note that these battery systems were originally engineered without strict individual passwords to allow factory service engineers to run quick diagnostics during assembly and repair. However, because no one anticipated that this lack of local encryption would be weaponized for digital entertainment, thousands of unsecured vehicles remain highly vulnerable. As the government moves to crack down on the distribution of malicious override methods and enforce stricter manufacturing guidelines, the community has rallied to support affected drivers, urging tech platforms to aggressively take down video content that encourages the exploitation of everyday workers.