Indian authorities have officially pulled two Chinese-developed smartphone apps from digital marketplaces following a troubling wave of viral videos showing e-rickshaws being remotely disabled. The applications, identified by local reports as "BAT-BMS" and "Epoch Li-ion," were allegedly being exploited by pranksters and bad actors to hijack Bluetooth-enabled battery management systems. By connecting to these unsecured units, individuals could trigger a remote kill switch, causing the vehicles to lose power abruptly while navigating busy streets.

The fallout from these security vulnerabilities has been severe for local drivers, who rely on these e-rickshaws for their daily livelihood. Many operators have reported stranded vehicles in sweltering heat, leading to lost wages and strained relations with passengers who refuse to pay fares after being left mid-transit. As complaints mount and queues at repair centers grow, the Delhi government has stepped in, with transport officials confirming that police investigations are underway to curb these targeted disruptions.