Delivery agent assaulted in northeast Delhi after being asked his name; police identify prime accused

Khan said he somehow managed to reach home, after which his family and neighbours took him to a local hospital, where he was treated overnight.

A 38-year-old delivery agent was allegedly beaten up by four men in northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri after they asked him his name, police said on Thursday. A case has been registered and an investigation is under way, but no arrests have been made so far.

The victim was identified as Gulfam Khan (File photo)

Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Ashish Mishra said, “A case under appropriate sections has been registered. The team of Gokulpuri police station is making efforts to arrest the accused.”

DCP Mishra did not comment when asked why charges of promoting enmity or disrupting harmony were not added to the FIR.

The victim, identified as Gulfam Khan, a resident of Khajoori Khas, said he has been working as a delivery agent with a food aggregator app for the past few years. On October 21, around 11.45pm, he had gone to Gokulpuri’s street number 17 to deliver an order when two men stopped him.

“They stopped me and asked my name. After I told them, they took me to an empty plot where two more men, carrying sticks, joined them. They all beat me up with sticks and punched me, causing injuries all over my body and even a head injury,” Khan said in the FIR.

“While beating me, they kept asking who I was. I kept pleading with them to tell me why they were hitting me, but they kept repeating the same question, even after I told them I was a delivery partner,” he said.

He added that three of the men then told the fourth one, “Baba, we should leave him now.” According to Khan, the man referred to as “Baba” appeared to be around 40–45 years old. The assailants then fled the spot.

Despite bleeding from his wounds, Khan went ahead and delivered the food order to street number 18. “The woman who had placed the order kept calling me, so I went and handed over her parcel. She asked what had happened when she saw my condition, but I just told her I needed to get to a hospital,” he said.

Khan said he somehow managed to reach home, after which his family and neighbours took him to a local hospital, where he was treated overnight. “I got multiple stitches to my head as the cuts were deep. There are bruises all over my body and my right foot also has an injury,” he said.

He said he was initially afraid to report the matter to the police but did so after being persuaded by his family, especially his brother.

On October 23, Khan went to Gokulpuri police station to file his complaint. After his medical examination at GTB Hospital, an FIR was registered under sections 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

“They beat me up after asking my name, because I am a Muslim...otherwise, whey would they? They also threatened me not to report the matter to the police. That’s why I got scared and didn’t till my family asked to,” he said.

During the investigation, police showed him criminal dossiers of men known by the name “Baba” in northeast Delhi, and Khan identified one of them. An officer said the prime accused has been identified as local criminal Satender alias Baba, who is currently absconding. “Teams are looking for all the accused,” the officer added.

Khan said he has not yet resumed work and is now fearful of stepping out. “I don’t feel safe anymore,” he said.