Dalit Cab Driver Confronts Passengers Over Casteist Remarks, Rapido Bans Him For 100 Years: ‘Completely Unacceptable’

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 that 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, all of them began discussing a senior official and allegedly used casteist language while questioning his abilities. Why Did The Cab Driver Intervene? The 30-year-old driver said that he initially chose not to intervene but objected when the conversation allegedly became caste-based. 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. The driver, who was angered by the incident, added, “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 even the passengers asking him to call the police. The Cab Driver Shared He Has Been Suspended For Nearly 100 Years In a subsequent video, the driver claimed that he did not know the passengers beforehand, nor their names or castes. He said that despite asking them not to make such casteist remarks, they did not stop and continued targeting the caste he also belongs to. That is when he confronted them and asked them to get down from his vehicle. After the passengers filed a complaint with Rapido, Kumar alleged that the company did not contact him to seek his account of the incident and suspended his driver account for 99 years and 11 months, with the period ending on July 19, 2126. Kumar, who holds a diploma in mechanical engineering and is the primary breadwinner in his family, said that the suspension has now created financial difficulties for his household. Rapido has not, so far, issued an official statement on the matter. Ankit Kumar, the cab driver who confronted four Indian Railways employees allegedly using casteist slur against a senior official in Lucknow, has been suspended for 99 years 11 months from Rapido. https://t.co/M8TMJipBPl pic.twitter.com/pJJYHs1XdH — Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 15, 2026 “He Deserves Applause, Not Suspension” The unusually long suspension period has since drawn online attention and sparked debate over the rights and responsibilities of drivers and passengers. “Rapido, you should be suspending the customers for casteist behavior and racist slurs, not the driver who stood up for dignity. He deserves applause for his courage, not suspension,” said a user. Another said, “@rapidoapp_ this is completely unacceptable. You suspended a driver simply because he refused to tolerate casteist slurs in his own cab. Reinstate Ankit Kumar immediately, investigate the passengers properly, and stop punishing someone for showing basic human dignity.” An individual quipped, “@rapidoapp_ what the hell, man. At least listen to his part of the story and then suspend if necessary.” Someone else said, “Standing with casteist passengers over your own partner? This is how @rapidoapp_ treats drivers who refuse to tolerate casteist slurs. Boycotting you.”