Synopsis:
In the past year, two suicide incidents have occurred within Ola Group companies, raising serious concerns about the company’s workplace culture.

Toxic work culture refers to an unhealthy work environment where employees face stress, overwork, lack of support, poor communication, favoritism, or harassment, negatively affecting their mental and physical well-being. 

With rising incidents being reported across industries, from companies like EY to Ola and beyond, it is increasingly evident that work culture has become a key factor influencing a company’s growth, performance, and employees work-life balance.

With a market capitalization of Rs. 23,567.06 crore, the shares of Ola Electric Mobility Limited closed at Rs. 53.43 on Tuesday, down by 2.75 percent from its previous close of Rs. 54.94. 

Two Suicide Incident in Ola Group

Ola Electric founder Bhavish Aggarwal and the company’s head of homologation, Subrath Kumar Das, have been named in a police complaint following the suicide of employee K. Aravind.

The complaint, filed by Aravind’s brother in Bengaluru, cites harassment and intense pressure, which Aravind detailed in a 28-page note before his death. Aravind had reportedly raised concerns about unpaid salary, fearing repercussions after hearing about other employees losing jobs for similar complaints.

Following Aravind’s cremation on September 29, Ola Electric transferred approximately ₹1.7 million to his account. The company stated that all salary payments had been made on time and clarified that this transfer was intended to support the employee’s family. Ola Electric has challenged the First Information Report in court and maintains that Aravind never raised any complaints or grievances during his employment. 

Earlier in another incident, Ola Krutrim, the AI subsidiary of Ola Electric, issued an official statement following the tragic suicide of 25-year-old machine learning engineer Nikhil Somwanshi on May 8, 2025.

The company expressed deep sorrow over the loss, stating that Somwanshi had been on personal leave, which he had requested on April 8 for rest and had his leave extended on April 17. Krutrim emphasized that Somwanshi was a valued team member and pledged full support to his family and employees during this difficult time.

The incident gained widespread attention after a Reddit post alleged that Somwanshi’s suicide was due to a toxic work environment and extreme pressure at Krutrim. The post described how he was left handling additional work after colleagues left and highlighted that the manager, Rajkiran Panuganti, allegedly created a toxic environment affecting all freshers, with harsh behaviour and unrealistic expectations.

The company responded by acknowledging the allegations and stating that they are in contact with relevant authorities to offer assistance as needed. Krutrim’s statement aimed to clarify the circumstances surrounding Somwanshi’s death and address concerns about workplace culture within the organization.

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Is this Toxic Culture new to OLA?

Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal has faced criticism in the past for his aggressive behavior toward employees. In 2022, reports highlighted incidents where he allegedly tore up presentations, shouted at staff over minor mistakes, used Punjabi epithets, set unrealistic deadlines, and even made an employee run laps for leaving a gate open. Many employees described Ola’s work culture as hostile and toxic.

Aggarwal responded by saying that not everyone is “fit for our culture” and acknowledged that he can appear “rough and rude,” but emphasized that he is straightforward. He defended his style during the Ola S1 launch, stating that the company promotes a culture of high quality and high execution, and that they are “not here to have a nice and easy time.

Conclusion

Such incidents not only raise serious concerns about the work environment at Ola Group but could also impact the company’s image and reputation. Maintaining a toxic work culture may make it increasingly difficult for the company to retain existing talent and attract skilled professionals in the future.

Written by Akshay Sanghavi

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