The Union government has moved to contain an e-rickshaw security scare, directing Google Play on Android and the Apple App Store to take down mobile applications that could be used to switch off electric rickshaws mid-journey.
On 3 July 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it had ordered the removal after viral videos showed e-rickshaws in Delhi being halted when nearby smartphones connected to them over Bluetooth.
Officials confirmed two such apps had already been pulled, with the action aimed at protecting both passenger safety and drivers' daily earnings.
The trigger was a run of short clips on social media over recent days, in which individuals appeared to pair with a moving e-rickshaw's battery and cut its power, leaving drivers stranded.
E-rickshaws are a backbone of last-mile transport across Indian cities, and much of the low-cost fleet runs on imported parts.
