There’s a new development in the incident of firing on Bollywood star Tiger Shroff. The police probing the case had arrested three accused in the case and during the investigation, police found one of them was registered as a ‘rider’ (captain) on the ride-hailing platform Rapido. Now, the company has issued an official clarification.
The Firing Incident
The firing is reported to have taken place in Mumbai’s Juhu area on October 18 when firing at Tiger Shroff’s car was reported to have happened. The actor was the intended target and miraculously did not sustain any injuries.The case was transferred to Mumbai Police shortly after the incident, and three accused – 22-year-old Hrithik Kumar and two others were taken into custody. They were said to have been apprehended on the train after it reached the Kota railway station in Rajasthan on October 19.
The Rapido Link
As per the police, Hrithik Kumar was working as a gig worker for Rapido at the time of his arrest. He was registered with the company as a “captain”, the name used by rapido for its riders and drivers.The news was trending for quite some time as it led to asking the following questions- the professional degrees of the accused and the need to do more robust screening and monitoring process of such platforms. It was also reported that a demand was being made for a detailed investigation in the functioning of Rapido in Maharashtra.
DON'T MISS
Rapido Speaks Out
Rapido, which has an accused as one of its users, stated the revelation. The company said it is really distressed and concerned about the Tiger Shroff incident, and thankful that the actor was unharmed. The company further went on to wish Tiger Shroff to get well soon. The statement made it evident that the platform does not promote any kind of violence/crime in any way.
Company’s Key Clarification
Rapido stated it is registered captain was Kumar but he has not been using the platform since October 14-four days before the firing.The company also said that Kumar was a Rapido customer on the day of the incident and not a rider. Rapido said that registering across multiple platforms is a typical practice in India’s gig economy.
Full Cooperation With Investigation
Rapido, it is in regular touch with the investigating agencies and cooperating with the investigation. “We have been swift in our response to the authorities and provided them with all the documentation they have asked for,” it said. “Rapido has zero tolerance for violence or any criminal activity,” a statement from the company said, adding that the company will keep cooperating with the police investigation.
What Happens Next?
The inquiry now likely goes beyond the shootout and the suspect’s supposed ties, to the larger concern of safety and authentication in India’s gig-economy industry. As Rapido confirmed that at least one suspect was a former user of its platform, the case might add to the outcry for stiffer background checks, KYC requirements, and oversight of riders on ride-hailing apps.
