Foodpanda delivery boy assaults student for cancelling order after delay

Pune : A 24-year-old student brutally assaulted by a foodpanda delivery boy and his two accomplices after the order was cancelled for delay of 50 minutes.

The student Nilotpal Singh from Mumbai, who lives in Kothrud as paying guest, has lodged an FIR against the accused foodpanda runner Dnyaneshwar Ubhe and two others.

The incident took place on September 20.

A day after the incident, his sister Akancha Singh posted on Facebook, “My brother is pursuing his industrial design diploma from Pune. As we are based in Mumbai, He is in PUNE living as a Paying guest in Kothrud Area of Pune where the incident took place. Yesterday night i.e 20/09/2018, at around 8.15 pm he placed an order from #Foodpanda Application from a local restaurant in #Kothrud named #Annapurna Pure Veg restaurant. The app promised 30 mins delivery time, upon not receiving the delivery he contacted the delivery runner of #Foodpanda and asked him why it is taking so much time though its beyond time and delay.

The delivery runner said that it is taking time as the restaurant (#Annapurna Pure Veg) has not prepared the food yet and would get it in 10 mins more. On failing to do deliver again in the extra time slot, my brother called him again and asked for more 10 – 15 mins on which he agreed on, but took this to chat support team for the delay in delivery. Soon after the chat with #foodpanda chat support team he noticed in the food tracking system that the Food order was delivered upon which my brother called the delivery runner why did he do that when he has not delivered the food order yet and started being rude and had an argument over it.

After having heated argument on call, my brother brought this to the notice of Foodpanda chat support team of his rude behaviour and his threatening and asked if anything goes wrong Foodpanda will be responsible upon which the chat executive assured him that action would be taken and cancelled the Food order from their end and initiated a refund. Though reporting an issue about the delivery runner, there was no prompt action taken and the delivery runner dared to call my brother after 15 – 20 mins that he has brought the delivery on which my brother said “HOW CAN YOU COME FOR FOOD DELIVERY, WHEN ORDER IS ALREADY CANCELLED BY FOODPANDA”. But he insisted on meeting him. My brother was already out for dinner to the closest restaurant so he called the delivery runner near the restaurant. The delivery guy was there without any package of delivery with a clear intention to escalate the matter. They were talking and it got heated up on which few guys (3-4) along with the delivery runner started beating up my brother, close to the restaurant and in front of renowned and newly opened  #Yewale Tea. The locals didn’t do much to stop the fight instead accused my brother being an outsider. The delivery runner and the others flew from the place of the incident after thrashing my brother who is badly hurt on his head, face left with bruises and his chest.

Luckily there were few of his Paying Guest fellow members noticed him and took him to near by hospital. Since yesterday my brother on their chat supported said the whole thing (their customer 0955598888 /180030003034 is not working, there is no other way you could reach them unless they  want to reach us ) and kept requesting  for call back. He was given a complaint number and he was assured they will take care. Fortunately he received one in late afternoon today and the customer care executive had no idea why he was asked for call back (It was just any other call to them about delivery).

#Foodpanda customer care executive did not give us any number, so we can contact the concern person/ team regarding the same.

Anything thing could have happened to him.

Will I dare to order now? what  If I cancel I  might be raped. Will my brother order food online again? He might be murdered next time (he was very close this time as well).”

The accused foodpanda runner Ubhe was arrested. He apologised saying the incident was fallout of frustration. “Earlier we used to get Rs 700 per day but now we are being paid Rs 40 per delivery. In this case, the restaurant didn’t hand over the food on time and hence there was delay. I was not told about the cancellation of order”, he was quoted as saying by a newspaper.