Twenty-three-year-old delivery worker Mohammad Rizwan, who died after falling off the third floor of an apartment building in Hyderabad when a customer’s pet dog ran after him, is unlikely to be compensated by food delivery platform Swiggy. On January 11, when the accident happened, Rizwan had gone to the third floor of Lumbini Rock Castle apartment in Banjara Hills to deliver a Swiggy food parcel. However, the order was on his brother Mohammed Khaja’s Swiggy ID, who had asked Rizwan to fill in for him as he was unwell. Swiggy has said that the family isn’t eligible for compensation because of this, Rizwan’s brother told TNM.
The mishap occurred on the night of January 11 around 2 am. Speaking to TNM, Rizwan’s brother Mohammed Khaja (34) said, "I was feeling feverish and happened to meet Rizwan in Begumpet. I handed him the parcel and asked him to deliver it. I went home as I was feeling unwell." Mohammed Khaja said that while Rizwan did deliveries for e-commerce giant Amazon, he worked for Swiggy, and that the brothers often exchanged delivery assignments.
“We have filled in for each other several times earlier too. Whenever one of us has some work other than the delivery, the other person fills in. Swiggy informed me that as he was using my ID, he will not be eligible for compensation,” Mohammed Khaja said. He added that his father was in talks with the owner of the dog, Shobana, who was booked under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by the Banjara Hills police after Rizwan’s death.
“My father went to the police station. I am told they have settled the case out of court for Rs 5 lakh,” the brother said. He added that the family is likely to accept the settlement, as Swiggy is unlikely to provide compensation. Reacting to Rizwan’s death, a Swiggy spokesperson told TNM, “We are saddened by the untimely death of a young boy. Our team is in touch with the family of the deceased.” The dog owner, who was charged with causing death by negligence, has offered a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for an out-of-court settlement, Rizwan’s family members told TNM.
Rizwan, a resident of Yousufguda, suffered grievous injuries from the fall and passed away three days later on January 14. Following his demise, the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) demanded compensation as per the Workmen Compensation Act. The union said that both the pet owner Shobana and Swiggy must provide nearly Rs 22 lakh as compensation for Rizwan’s death. The union also appealed to customers to ensure their pets are leashed when they are expecting a delivery.
Watch TNM's report on Hyderabad food delivery agent's death after pet dog chases him