A routine day at Ola Electric's fledgling service center in Lucknow's Jankipuram Vistar turned into a full-blown melee on Friday afternoon, exposing the raw underbelly of India's electric vehicle (EV) revolution. What began as a gathering of disgruntled scooter owners complaining about persistent technical glitches escalated into physical altercations, scattered tools, and police intervention. The incident, captured in viral videos circulating on social media, has amplified calls for accountability from Ola Electric, India's homegrown EV giant led by aggressive entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal.

The Spark: A Backlog of Broken Promises

The service center, located on Delhi Public School Road in Sector 4 of Jankipuram Vistar, opened just weeks ago as part of Ola's frantic expansion to bolster its after-sales network. Uttar Pradesh, with its vast urban sprawl and growing EV adoption fueled by government subsidies, was meant to be a key battleground. Yet, from day one, the facility has been overwhelmed. Owners of models like the Ola S1 Pro, S1 Air, and the newly launched Roadster series queued up with a litany of issues: batteries draining prematurely, malfunctioning digital dashboards, faulty regenerative braking, and wiring problems that left scooters immobile.

Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of mounting frustration. Around 11:30 AM, more than 20 customers many having traveled from distant Lucknow suburbs like Gomti Nagar or Aliganj converged at the center. "I've been waiting three weeks for a battery replacement," said Rajesh Kumar, a 32-year-old delivery agent who relies on his S1 Pro for gig work. "They keep saying parts are 'in transit' from Bangalore." Similar stories echoed: one owner reported his scooter's display flickering like a faulty TV, another claimed sudden power cuts mid-ride nearly caused an accident on the busy Lucknow-Kanpur highway.

The center itself has drawn criticism for its makeshift setup. Social media posts describe it as "a dimly lit warehouse with fans whirring overhead and mechanics juggling too many bikes." Unlike polished rivals such as Ather Energy's experience centers, Ola's outlet lacks dedicated diagnostic bays, customer lounges, or even basic amenities like charging points for waiting visitors. "It looks more like a godown than a service hub," posted a user on X (formerly Twitter), a sentiment liked over 5,000 times.

Escalation: From Words to Fists

Tensions ignited around 1:15 PM. According to multiple witnesses and a widely shared 45-second video, a mechanic—identified only as "Vikram" in reports—inspected a customer's Roadster scooter complaining of intermittent wiring failures. Dismissing it as "rough handling by the rider," he reportedly refused immediate repairs, citing a backlog. The owner, a young IT professional named Amit Singh, argued back: "I paid ₹1.4 lakh for this! It's not my fault your build quality is trash."

Words turned heated as others joined in, forming a semi-circle around the mechanic. Shouts of "fraud company" and "give us our money back" filled the air. Suddenly, a push from the crowd knocked over a toolbox, sending wrenches and screwdrivers clattering. In the chaos, punches were exchanged— one man was seen swinging a helmet, another grappling with staff. "It was like a street fight in a garage," recounted bystander Priya Sharma, who was there to pick up her repaired S1 Air.

Police from the nearby Jankipuram station arrived within 15 minutes after a distress call. Officers used mild lathi charges to disperse the group of about 30 people (including onlookers). Two individuals one customer and one staff member

were detained for questioning but released later with warnings. No serious injuries were reported, though a few sustained minor bruises, and one scooter sustained cosmetic damage from the scuffle.

Broader Context: Ola's Nationwide Service Woes

This brawl isn't an anomaly; it's symptomatic of Ola Electric's growing pains. Founded in 2017, the company skyrocketed to become India's top EV two-wheeler seller, delivering over 300,000 units in FY2024 alone, thanks to affordable pricing (S1 series starting at ₹79,999) and bold marketing. However, rapid scaling has outstripped infrastructure. Ola operates fewer than 500 service centers nationwide, far below the 1,000+ promised by Aggarwal.

Recent crackdowns highlight the issues:

• In Maharashtra, authorities sealed 121 Ola dealerships last month for operating without valid trade licenses and failing pollution norms.
• Consumer forums are flooded with complaints: the National Consumer Helpline logged over 10,000 Ola-related grievances in the past year, mostly about delayed servicing and part shortages.
• Online communities like Reddit's r/ElectricVehiclesIndia brim with horror stories—owners waiting months for software updates or facing "ghost charging" bugs.

Ola's response has been defensive. In a statement emailed to media, a spokesperson said: "Customer safety is our top priority. We are investigating the Lucknow incident internally and committing additional resources to Uttar Pradesh centers. Affected customers will receive priority servicing and compensation where applicable." The company also announced plans to train 1,000 more technicians by year-end.

Critics, however, remain unconvinced. "Ola is great at hype but terrible at follow-through," says auto analyst Anuj Gupta. "EV adoption needs trust, not just subsidies." Rivals are capitalizing: Ather reported a 40% sales jump in Q3 2025, touting its "zero-wait" service policy.

Fallout and the Road Ahead

By evening, the Jankipuram center was shuttered temporarily, with a notice promising reopening on November 16. Social media backlash was swift—#OlaBrawl trended locally, with memes comparing the scene to Bollywood fight sequences. One viral post quipped: "Ola: Wealth creators for fists, not miles."

For Lucknow's EV enthusiasts, the incident is a wake-up call. Many who switched from petrol scooters for eco-friendly rides and cost savings (₹0.20 per km vs. ₹3-4 for ICE) now eye alternatives like Bajaj Chetak or TVS iQube. "I'll sell this and go back to Honda," vowed one brawl participant.

As India aims for 30% EV penetration by 2030 under the FAME scheme, incidents like this underscore a critical gap: Innovation must pair with robust support. Ola has the tech and ambition, but without fixing service snarls, the next spark could ignite a larger fire. Will Aggarwal's empire recharge in time? Lucknow riders and the nation are watching closely.