Delhi Government Orders Probe Into Viral Chinese App Remotely Disabling E-Rickshaws

New Delhi : The Delhi government has launched an urgent high-level investigation following a bizarre and dangerous social media trend where pranksters used a Chinese smartphone application to remotely shut down moving e-rickshaws.

Responding to widespread public alarm and viral videos across Instagram, YouTube, and , 0.Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh directed the transport department to immediately verify the technical authenticity and safety risks of the application.

The controversy surrounds a Chinese-developed battery management application called "BAT-BMS." Because a massive volume of low-cost e-rickshaws in the national capital utilize Chinese-manufactured lithium battery systems that feature default open Bluetooth settings without any password authentication, nearby smartphone users within a 15-meter range could easily hijack the vehicles.

With a single tap, users wirelessly flipped the battery's "discharge" function off, cutting all power output instantly and leaving bewildered drivers stranded mid-traffic.  "I am yet to receive a formal written complaint, but multiple concerned citizens have flagged this serious safety issue at my office," Transport Minister Pankaj Singh stated.

He emphasized that if such malicious interference is taking place, it constitutes a strictly illegal act, warning that the police will carry out an aggressive investigation against perpetrators. He further urged youngsters not to jeopardize public safety and poor drivers' livelihoods for social media views.The digital exploit has caused immense distress to vulnerable daily-wage workers, with some stranded drivers even reporting that extortionists disabled their vehicles and demanded cash to turn the power back on.

immediate corrective action on Friday, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology intervened, forcing the official removal of the offending apps from major application stores while reminding digital platforms to exercise stricter cyber-security due diligence.