It all started when Mohammed Rizwan fell from the third floor of a building in Hyderabad on 11 January after being chased by a customer’s dog. He succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, 14 January.
A day later, the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) demanded double compensation for his family — one from Swiggy, for whom Rizwan was delivering the parcel, and one from the customer whose dog frightened him.
However, as things stand, the 23-year-old may not be entitled to compensation from Swiggy because he was not a formally registered employee of the company at the time of the incident.
This, and other details of the incident, are making it murkier by the day, as his family in Sriram Nagar in the Yousufguda area of the city struggles to cope with the loss of a significant breadwinner.
“People from Swiggy called us to say that they feel sorry for our loss, but no amount can be given as Rizwan was using my registration ID to make deliveries,” his brother Mohammad Khaja told South First.
However, TGPWU President Shaikh Salauddin continued to seek compensation from Swiggy irrespective of whose registration Rizwan was using.
“He was there to deliver their product. It was the company’s responsibility to verify whether he was delivering or someone else. He was their partner who had contributed to their earnings, so he deserves compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act,” Salauddin claimed.
Emerging details
Rizwan, a first-year BCom dropout from Rukmini College of Commerce, was working as a delivery executive since 2019.
“He used to work with his own registration ID, but it was blocked. So he started working with my ID five-six months ago,” Khaja said.
As per a previous report, when an ID is blocked on the system, its holder can no longer work for Swiggy or Zomato.
Meanwhile, Rizwan’s family has withdrawn the case against the dog owner, who was booked under IPC Section 304 A (causing death by negligence), and has agreed to a monetary settlement out of court.
Khaja and his three brothers, who are still recovering from the incident, are satisfied with the settlement.
“The dog owner has agreed to pay us ₹5 lakh. She will hopefully pay it tomorrow (17 January),” he said.
Family suffers
Rizwan used to live with his 55-year-old diabetic father, Mohammad Siraj, in a rented house, and used to look after him.
“The rest of us (four brothers) live away with our family. He was very attached to our father and used to respect him,” Khaja recollected.
Salauddin noted that Rizwan’s family live below the poverty line, so Swiggy should take note of this and give compensation within a week.
Swiggy reaction
Swiggy spokesperson Shourya Rawool told South First: “We are saddened by the untimely death of a young boy. Our team is in touch with the family of the deceased.”
About the compensation, she added: “This is a developing case, and our investigation is on.”
Asked about Swiggy’s compensation policy, she said that a fixed amount is paid by the aggregator (company) in such cases. “The final amount will be decided once the investigation is over,” she said.
