Nikhil Somwanshi, an employee of Ola’s Krutrim, died by suicide on May 8, 2025, as confirmed by the company.
The incident first came to light via a Reddit post by user Kirigawakazuto. Dated May 16, 2025, the post claimed that Somwanshi had been under immense work pressure from his manager, Rajkiran Panuganti. The Reddit user added that Somwanshi’s team initially comprised three members, but the other two had left the company, which increased Somwanshi’s workload.
“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,” the post read.
In the comments section of his post, Reddit user Kirigawakazuto added, “I got to know from their team that apparently this guy Rajkiran mailed the hr after this incident, saying to fire everyone and that everyone is useless.”
Responding to the news, Ola Krutrim shared an official statement with India Today in which they expressed their condolences for Somwanshi.
“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,” said Ola Krutrim. The statement went on to add that Somwanshi had been on personal leave at the time of his passing, and the company mourned his loss.
“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,” Ola Krutrim’s statement read.
“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 company added.
Many Ola employees come forward to share their own thoughts. “Post his death, [another senior manager at Krutrim] even told others during a session that no one will talk about the incident and if approached by someone, they should redirect them to Ola’s legal team,” a former Ola employee told Financial Express.