Cab drivers storm Uber office in Bengaluru, police resort to lathicharge

Bengaluru: On Monday, hundreds of cab drivers staged a massive protest outside Uber’s head office near Bommanahalli in Bengaluru. They accused the company of discrimination, lack of work, and excessive surge pricing.

Drivers alleged that Kannada drivers were being blocked on the app, while drivers from Bangladesh and other states—some of whom reportedly lack valid licenses—were being given priority in ride assignments. The protest, organized by the Bharat Transport Association, quickly escalated, prompting police to lathi-charge the crowd and detain several protesters. A platoon of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) was also deployed.

As the crowd gathered and surrounded the building, Uber employees locked the office doors. Drivers alleged that the company was assigning trips to outside and foreign drivers, as well as to the company’s own vehicles, while ignoring drivers directly affiliated with the platform. Many said they had invested lakhs of rupees in buying vehicles, trusting Uber, but now, due to the lack of bookings, they are unable to pay EMIs or meet their household expenses.

One protesting driver said, “Without trips, we can’t pay our EMIs or run our household expenses. We trusted the company and invested our money, but now we have no work.” Protesters also accused Uber of violating Karnataka’s ‘One City, One Fare’ policy, which charges double fares during peak hours, rain, or high-demand conditions, despite repeated complaints to police and transport officials.

Tensions escalated after staff locked the office doors, prompting police to try to open them with iron rods. When the doors finally opened, Uber employees reportedly escaped through a rear exit. Senior police officers later spoke with Uber representatives, who stated that senior management was coming to address the drivers’ concerns.

However, the protesters refused to disperse until senior officials arrived for direct talks. As the confrontation continued, more police were called in and another round of lathicharge was carried out, following which several drivers were detained. An official statement from Uber on the incident is awaited.