Zomato delivery agent files counter complaint against Bengaluru woman, alleges abuse and assault

Chandranee, 31, is a resident of Electronic city Phase-1. Kamaraj, who stays in Chennakeshava Nagar area of the city, was working as a delivery boy for Zomato. On March 9, in a video posted on Instagram, Hitesha Chandranee claimed she was “hit” and “left bleeding” by Kamaraj, who “ran off” after the incident. “So guys, my Zomato order was late and I was talking to the customer care executive, and meanwhile, the delivery person just did this,” she had said.

Later, in another video, she had claimed that her nose was broken in the accident and she needed to undergo a surgery. The woman had claimed that the food was delivered 59 minutes late and she was assaulted when she wanted to cancel the order. In the complaint filed by Hithesha on March 10, police have registered a case under IPC 325 (Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 504 against Kamaraj.

Zomato had suspended him and Electronic City police had arrested him. However, he was released later on bail. Kamaraj, who has worked as delivery boy for three years, then countered Hithesha’s allegation stating that she abused him and threw slippers at him.

He said that Chandranee got hurt while trying to hit him. In his statement to the police, he had said that the roads he took that day to deliver her food were under construction which is why he got late. “While I apologised, the woman continued to abuse and asked me to take the food back. I was only trying to defend myself. The injury may have been caused by the woman’s ring,” he had informed the police.

The co-founder of the food delivery app, Deepinder Goyal, had said that the company is providing “all possible support” to both the alleged victim and delivery partner to ensure that “both sides of the story come to light”.

After Kamaraj’s version came to light, people extended support to him on social media and demanded an unbiased investigation.

Bollywood Actor Parineeti Chopra on Saturday expressed her concerns for the Zomato delivery executive, who has been accused of physical assault by a female customer, saying the woman should pay for his pain if he is found innocent.