BENGALURU, March 9 -- For three days, Gondi Krishna has kept his phone close, refreshing the delivery app that once dictated the rhythm of his day.

Not long ago, the 29-year-old's phone buzzed constantly with grocery delivery orders, determining when he woke up, where he rode his bike and how much he could earn by nightfall. Now the screen stays silent.

On February 19, Krishna said, his account on the platform was blocked and blacklisted. Without access to the app, he cannot work. The reason, he said, was not poor performance or missed deliveries but his decision to stand in solidarity with another delivery partner whose account had been removed.

Across Bengaluru, gig workers like Krishna say their livelihoods remain precarious despite...