A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to an Ola Electric showroom in Karnataka, outraged by the unsatisfactory servicing of his recently-purchased e-scooter, a police official reported on Wednesday.
The incident highlights growing public frustration with the servicing issues at Ola Electric, India’s top e-scooter manufacturer. Several mechanics have noted that Ola service centers are struggling with a significant backlog and are overwhelmed by the volume of complaints.
Mohammad Nadeem, a mechanic by profession, bought the e-scooter last month. Just a few days later, he returned it for servicing after experiencing problems with the vehicle, according to Sharanappa S.D., the Commissioner of Police for Kalaburagi, a city about 570 kilometers from Bengaluru.
“The response to his servicing requests was unsatisfactory. He went back multiple times. Yesterday, when he returned, he brought petrol and set fire to six bikes,” Sharanappa said.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
The police estimated the damage to the showroom at ₹850,000.
Ola Electric, which was recently listed on stock exchanges, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither Nadeem nor the Ola showroom could be reached for further statements.
According to Ola Electric’s website, the company operates 431 service stations across India.
