Man sets fire to Ola Electric showroom in Karnataka After Repeated Malfunctions in Newly Purchased Electric Scooter
In a shocking incident in Karnataka, a disgruntled customer set fire to an Ola Electric showroom after being dissatisfied with the servicing of his electric scooter. The man, identified as 26-year-old Mohammad Nadeem, allegedly took this extreme step after repeated failed attempts to get his newly purchased scooter repaired. The incident has brought attention to growing customer complaints against Ola Electric’s servicing.
The Incident
The fire took place at an Ola Electric showroom in Kalaburagi, North Karnataka. According to police reports, Nadeem, a mechanic by profession, had purchased an Ola e-scooter on August 28, 2024. However, the vehicle began showing signs of malfunction shortly after the purchase. Nadeem returned to the showroom multiple times, but his issues were not resolved to his satisfaction. Frustrated by the lack of response, Nadeem set fire to the showroom on Tuesday, causing significant damage.
- Details of the Damage: Six electric scooters were gutted in the fire, with damages estimated at ₹850,000.
- No Casualties: Fortunately, no one was injured as the showroom was closed at the time of the incident. Fire officials were able to quickly contain the blaze.
Customer Frustration and Ola’s Response
This incident comes amid increasing dissatisfaction with Ola Electric’s after-sales service. Ola Electric, the largest e-scooter manufacturer in India, has been facing a backlog in service requests, with several service centers overwhelmed by the volume of complaints.
Nadeem, after facing issues with his scooter shortly after purchase, visited the service center multiple times but was left unsatisfied. He then bought petrol and set the showroom on fire, according to police reports.
Karnataka: A customer set an Ola showroom in Kalaburagi on fire after facing issues with the ongoing service of his new bike.
— IANS (@ians_india) September 11, 2024
Following a verbal argument with the showroom owner yesterday evening, he set the showroom on fire. A case has been registered at Kalaburagi Chowk… pic.twitter.com/AItGyakP4f
Ola Electric issued a statement following the incident:
Important update. pic.twitter.com/wng9F8FJmS
— Ola Electric (@OlaElectric) September 11, 2024
The company is yet to comment on the specifics of Nadeem’s complaint or the broader concerns surrounding its service centers.
Ongoing Investigations
The Kalaburagi Chowk police have registered a case, and Nadeem is currently in custody for interrogation. Preliminary investigations have ruled out any possibility of the fire being caused by a short circuit, and it has been confirmed that the fire was an act of arson by the disgruntled customer.
This is not the first time Ola Electric has found itself in the spotlight for issues related to customer service. A similar fire incident occurred at an Ola showroom in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, just two weeks prior.
Growing Ire Over Ola Electric Servicing
The incident highlights a growing problem for Ola Electric, with customers voicing their frustrations over delayed servicing and unresolved issues with their vehicles. Mechanics at various service centers have reported that they are struggling to keep up with the demand, as the number of complaints far exceeds the capacity of the service stations.
Ola Electric operates 431 service centers across India, but it appears that the company may need to ramp up its efforts to handle the growing number of complaints to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
Conclusion
The incident where a man sets fire to an Ola Electric showroom in Karnataka has raised questions about the state of customer service in India’s rapidly growing electric vehicle market. As Ola Electric faces the heat from both customers and authorities, it remains to be seen how the company will address the situation moving forward.
