Lucknow cab driver says platform banned him for nearly a century after caste slur dispute

Ankit Kumar, a mechanical-engineering diploma holder who drives to support his family, reported that four passengers he collected at Utrahtia railway station began making caste-related remarks about a senior officer. Kumar repeatedly asked them to cease the slurs, reminding them that ability is unrelated to caste, but the abuse continued. He then halted the cab near Telibagh market and instructed all passengers to get out.

Footage of the exchange circulated widely on social media, drawing attention and harassment toward Kumar. He says the ride-hailing company subsequently imposed a suspension lasting 99 years and 11 months, without contacting him for his account of events. The driver, the sole earner for his household, says the ban threatens his livelihood.