What began as a dream of escaping daily-wage drudgery ended in flames in the middle of a bustling market. Enraged after months of alleged harassment and refusal by the company and showroom to repair her repeatedly malfunctioning e-rickshaw, a young woman set her Rs 2.5 lakh vehicle on fire right outside the very agency from which she had bought it.
The incident took place in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri. Eyewitnesses said the woman calmly poured petrol on the e-rickshaw parked on the roadside and set it ablaze, triggering panic in the crowded market area. A video of the burning e-rickshaw has since gone viral on social media.
The woman has been identified as Gudiya Mahaur, a resident of Fakkar Colony. Speaking to reporters, Gudiya said she and her husband Narayan Mahaur, both labourers, had purchased the e-rickshaw around six months ago for approximately Rs 2.30-2.50 lakh through financing. The vehicle was meant to help them earn a steady income and support their three children, freeing them from the uncertainty of daily wage work.
According to Gudiya, the e-rickshaw barely functioned properly for two months after purchase. "For the last four months, I have been going to the agency again and again. I begged them to fix it. Instead of repairing it, they kept sending me away," she alleged. With the vehicle lying idle at home, she was forced to return to labour work, even as loan instalments continued to loom.
Her anger finally spilled onto the street when, she claims, the agency flatly refused to carry out repairs. "They told me nothing would be done," Gudiya said. "That's when I lost hope."
The showroom management, however, has denied wrongdoing. Showroom in-charge Shubham Sharma claimed that there was no manufacturing defect in the e-rickshaw except for the battery. "The battery had burst. The company does not provide a replacement for burst batteries. There is no provision to change it," Sharma said, adding that the woman was advised to install a new battery at her own cost, which she allegedly refused.
Police said they reached the spot soon after receiving information and prevented the fire from spreading further. The woman and the burnt e-rickshaw were taken to the police station, and the process of filing a complaint has begun. "Statements from both sides are being recorded to ascertain the facts," a police official said.
Gudiya has demanded that the agency either fully repair the e-rickshaw or provide a new vehicle. Failing that, she wants a complete refund of the amount she has already paid.
