Bengaluru-based grocery delivery startup KiranaPro has been in turmoil following an internal data breach and rising employee dissatisfaction over unpaid wages. The company’s CEO, Deepak Ravindran, confirmed that the breach was caused by a former employee, Lava Kumar, who had legitimate access to internal systems.
Initially described as a hack, the incident was later clarified by Ravindran on LinkedIn as an internal act where Kumar allegedly erased vital server logs during system tests. According to the CEO, this was not a case of external penetration or security lapse but a breach of trust.
Lava Kumar, described as a former associate from Ravindran’s earlier startup Lookup, was part of KiranaPro’s early product development. However, his role was eliminated during a team restructuring after a new CTO joined. “It wasn’t a firing. It was just a removal during reshuffling,” said Ravindran, adding that the fallout has since been amicably resolved, and both parties are nearing a settlement.
Meanwhile, the company is under fire over delayed employee salaries. Several past and present employees alleged that salaries for April and May remain unpaid, with some claiming non-payment for four months. Reports accuse Ravindran of repeatedly postponing payment deadlines.
Responding to these claims, the CEO blamed delays in investor funding and assured that partial payments have been made, with the remainder to follow soon.
Despite the internal storm, Ravindran insists there’s now peace within the team, and operations are stabilizing.
Read also: