A Muslim delivery agent associated with Zomato was allegedly beaten in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The accused was allegedly beaten, tortured and held captive by four men in Gomti Nagar. The incident took place at around 1 AM on 20 August in Vineet Khand Gomti Nagar. The FIR in this case was filed the following day.
The victim identified as Mohommad Aslam has reportedly worked as a delivery agent for two years now but has never encountered such an experience.
The FIR
The FIR has been lodged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the sections include:Section 115 (2) punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, 351 (2) punishment for criminal intimidation, 127 (2) punishment for wrongful confinement and 352 i.e. intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.
Safety of Minority
Aslam claimed that he was forced to write and sign a letter which was “fake” in the letter they made him write that he did not deliver the order on time
The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of not only Zomato delivery workers but particularly those from minority communities, raising questions about the adequacy of protective measures in place.
Aslam, the delivery worker involved, alleges that he was coerced into signing a “false” letter. According to him, the letter falsely stated that he failed to deliver the order on time, used offensive language towards the customers, and overcharged them.
Aslam claims the order, originally priced at Rs 294, was paid at Rs 330 by the customers, who allegedly became more agitated upon discovering his religious identity.
Aslam, in his FIR, recounted a harrowing ordeal where the men repeatedly ordered him to sit or stand in a corner, threatened to set him on fire, and even discussed pouring hot water on him. The situation escalated as the four men warned him not to disclose the incident, emphasizing that they knew his home address.
While on duty, Aslam received calls from other customers, but the men intercepted these, impersonating him and falsely claiming that his vehicle had broken down. “I pleaded with them not to pay me and just let me go. My orders were delayed as they forced me to stand like a monkey in a corner,” Aslam told The Quint.
Rajesh Kumar Tripathi, SHO of the Gomti Nagar police station, confirmed that the main accused, Abhishek Dubey, has been arrested and that a search is ongoing for the other three suspects. “Rest assured, the investigation is underway,” Tripathi stated.
Aslam, shaken by the incident, fears for his safety, knowing that the men have his address. He reported the incident to Zomato, where a team leader has lodged a formal complaint.
This is not an isolated case. In August 2023, a similar incident occurred in Hyderabad, where an Amazon delivery agent, Rahan Fayaz, was allegedly beaten by an MLA’s relative due to his religious identity.
