Ola Krutrim issues statement after employee dies by suicide

Nikhil Somwanshi , the 25-year-old machine learning engineer at Ola ’s Krutrim was found dead in Bengaluru's Agara Lake. A viral reddit post claims that Somwanshi committed suicide due to 'toxic culture' and extreme work pressure. Responding to the incident, Krutrim – the AI startup backed by Ola has issued an official statement.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of one of our most talented young employees, Nikhil, on the 8th of May. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” a Krutrim official said in a statement. The company stated that Somwanshi was on personal leave at the time of the incident and had requested time off for rest on April 8.

"Nikhil was on personal leave at the time of the incident. He had reached out to his manager on the 8th of April, expressing that he needed rest, and was promptly granted personal time off. Later, on the 17th of April, he shared that he was feeling better but would benefit from additional rest, and his leave was extended accordingly," the statement added.

“As a company, we are heartbroken by this loss. Nikhil was a valued team member, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew and worked with him. We are extending our full support to Nikhil’s family and our employees during this time of grief. We are also in contact with the relevant authorities and will continue to offer our assistance as needed,” the spokesperson said.


Reddit post alleging Nikhil Somwanshi’s suicide goes viral
Shared by Reddit user ‘Kirgawakutzo’, the post is titled “Suicide due to work pressure at the OLA, the worst place to work”. It reads:

“News Not sure why its not a public issue yet, a colleague of mine just gave up on his life due to extreme work pressure. He used to work in Krutrim, and with 2 other guys leading a project(even after being a freshie). The other two guys left the company, so he was cramped up with work of the other two as well. I shouldn't be taking names but this absolute shit of a manager Rajkiran Panuganti has no real clue how to man manage people. He just attends the calls, bashes people left, right and center and disappears since he lives in US and most workforce is here in Bangalore. The words used in meetings, especially against freshers, its just traumatic. Having not delivered a single product even after a year of joining Krutrim, he is just taking it all out on people. Even after this shocking incident, there has been no behavioural change in people there. I heard other team members saying if they stay anymore here, they are going to end up doing the same. The authorities are trying their best to shut down the news. Its pathetic to be honest. Hope this blows up and police takes strict action. Didn't know where else to share this, but here we go.”