Quick commerce platform Zepto clarified in a post on X that an individual who reportedly died in a road accident in Hyderabad was not employed by the company, following initial media reports that identified him as part of its delivery fleet.
The incident occurred in the city's Mehdipatnam police limits, where a rider named Abhishek, a native of Shekpet, died after his two-wheeler collided with a bus. Police officials said that the victim worked as a delivery rider for Zepto, prompting the Gig Workers’ Union to demand justice and compensation for the family.
In its statement online, Zepto expressed condolences to the victim’s family but iterated that as per internal checks, the individual was not part of its delivery fleet. “We would like to clarify that the individual mentioned was not associated with Zepto, and was not delivering for Zepto at the time of the accident. This has been confirmed through thorough database checks, facial recognition, and CCTV reviews across our store network,” Zepto added.
The company said it has submitted its findings to the Mehdipatnam Police to “rectify the initial misconception” and is cooperating with the investigation.
Zepto added that all its active delivery partners are covered under a comprehensive insurance policy, which includes up to Rs 10 lakh in accidental cover and Rs 1 lakh in health insurance. “No claim has been made in this case, as the individual was not part of our delivery fleet,” the company said.
The Mehdipatnam Police said an inquiry into the accident is ongoing.
This comes close on the heels of an all-India strike called by delivery workers on Christmas and New Year's Eve, demanding better pay and working conditions. The strike kicked up a storm on the internet, with netizens standing behind the gig workers, hitting out at the delivery and quick commerce companies for overworking them and paying low wages. Some people criticised the quick delivery model, saying that delivery workers were penalised for late deliveries and forced to ride at high speed and break traffic rules to be on time.
Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal entered the debate and defended the 10-minute delivery model, explaining how it functions, and highlighted the benefits extended to gig workers, even if, as he noted, it remains a “gig” for many.
The incident occurred in the city's Mehdipatnam police limits, where a rider named Abhishek, a native of Shekpet, died after his two-wheeler collided with a bus. Police officials said that the victim worked as a delivery rider for Zepto, prompting the Gig Workers’ Union to demand justice and compensation for the family.
In its statement online, Zepto expressed condolences to the victim’s family but iterated that as per internal checks, the individual was not part of its delivery fleet. “We would like to clarify that the individual mentioned was not associated with Zepto, and was not delivering for Zepto at the time of the accident. This has been confirmed through thorough database checks, facial recognition, and CCTV reviews across our store network,” Zepto added.
The company said it has submitted its findings to the Mehdipatnam Police to “rectify the initial misconception” and is cooperating with the investigation.
Zepto added that all its active delivery partners are covered under a comprehensive insurance policy, which includes up to Rs 10 lakh in accidental cover and Rs 1 lakh in health insurance. “No claim has been made in this case, as the individual was not part of our delivery fleet,” the company said.
The Mehdipatnam Police said an inquiry into the accident is ongoing.
This comes close on the heels of an all-India strike called by delivery workers on Christmas and New Year's Eve, demanding better pay and working conditions. The strike kicked up a storm on the internet, with netizens standing behind the gig workers, hitting out at the delivery and quick commerce companies for overworking them and paying low wages. Some people criticised the quick delivery model, saying that delivery workers were penalised for late deliveries and forced to ride at high speed and break traffic rules to be on time.
Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal entered the debate and defended the 10-minute delivery model, explaining how it functions, and highlighted the benefits extended to gig workers, even if, as he noted, it remains a “gig” for many.