No communal angle in Hyd incident where Swiggy delivery agent stabbed cook

Hyderabad: Shiva Prasad (29), a cook working at Golf Edge Apartments, died on 15 September, a week after he was stabbed by a Swiggy delivery executive Sheikh Ameer.

Shiva had been working as a cook at K.V.S Bhaskar's residence for the past eight months.

On 8 September, Sai Sri, Bhaskar's relative, ordered sweets on Swiggy from a shop in Banjara Hills. Ameer, the delivery agent, got confused with the address and the order was delayed by two hours. When Ameer reached the apartment, he got into a fight with Shiva. Ameer attacked Shiva with a vegetable-cutting knife. He fled the scene with minor injuries but Shiva suffered serious injuries.

Following Shiva's death, the incident has been given a communal spin.

A verified Twitter user, Arun Pudur, giving a communal spin to the incident, accused the media of hiding the name of the killer and recalled another incident that had created outrage after a Swiggy customer said "Don't want a Muslim delivery person."

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Another Twitter user called the Swiggy delivery executive "a jihadi serving as a bigoted delivery executive."

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Fact Check

NewsMeter reached out to the Gachibowli police who confirmed that the argument between Shiva and Ameer was over late delivery and that there were no comments made based on religion or caste.

After the delivery was delayed, Sai Sri called Ameer several times. "They had a heated argument due to a communication gap," the Gachibowli SHO said.

Shiva had been asked by another employee, Vicky, to make sure the delivery agent waits until he arrives at the flat. "Shiva requested Ameer to wait and this led to a disagreement between them, and they began fighting. Around 6 p.m., on 8 September, the delivery person attacked Shiva with a knife," the Gachibowli police said.

According to the police, Shiva received injuries on his cheek, chin, and chest. The delivery person fled from the scene and injured his right hand.

After the police arrived at the scene, Shiva was rushed to Continental Hospital. He was later transferred to Gandhi Hospital and then to NIMS Hospital but he succumbed to his injuries on 15 September. The police said the accused is absconding and will be apprehended as soon as possible.

The New Indian Express also reported that "the delivery boy got confused with the delivery address and delayed the delivery by about two hours. All the while, Sai Sri who ordered the sweets was making calls and began arguing with him over the phone. When the delivery boy finally arrived, Shiva Prasad picked up an argument with the delivery boy who grabbed a vegetable knife from the dining table and attacked Shiva Prasad, causing injuries on his cheeks, chin and chest."

It is evident that the incident had no communal angle. The fight broke out over delayed delivery. Hence, the claim is misleading.