Three apps banned from Play Store and App Store over e-rickshaw security concerns

July 3, 2026

New Delhi: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) just pulled down three mobile apps that were linked to the e-rickshaw shutdown video. The clips went viral, and people freaked out, raising concerns, which were soon noticed by the government of India.

The government has ordered the removal of 3 mobile applications: the BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion. These apps were allegedly being misused to remotely shut down battery-operated vehicles. Other such apps being misused will also be blocked.

MeitY took immediate action on the case and pulled off the apps from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

When did the apps become available?

The apps were available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store long before the controversy took place and were intended for battery diagnostics and management.

BAT-BMS was not some hacking tool at first. Shenzhen Grenergy Technology built it as a legit companion app for Bluetooth-enabled lithium-ion batteries. It is meant to show battery stats:

Voltage
Temperature
charge cycles and all that useful stuff

It also lets users run maintenance and even switch off the battery’s discharge function if they need to.

Because of this, anyone standing within Bluetooth range of about 10 to 15 meters could connect to the battery through the app, without any questions asked. That’s how pranksters pulled it off: they would hook up to a nearby e-rickshaw and kill the battery in the middle of a ride, leaving drivers stranded and confused.

People started worrying, and it certainly is a big risk for passengers, and it says a lot about the way connected vehicles handle security. The government did not waste any time, as MeitY took immediate action and said it would push for stricter checks on software like this before letting it out in the wild.

Security to be stronger in the future: Government

Going forward, the plan is to tighten up app reviews before anything risky makes it onto the platform. Cybersecurity experts also want electric vehicle makers to get their act together: Add proper authentication, encrypt Bluetooth traffic, and roll out firmware updates that block unauthorized access.

This whole mess kind of sums up India’s electric vehicle challenge. There is a race to adopt new technology, but if the basics, like security, are not right, then even a helpful tool can cause chaos in the country. And someone is going to find a way to misuse a system. The key now is to make sure the good tools stay in the right hands, with security, to keep the mischievous people out of reach.