DEATH OF A DELIVERY AGENT

A murder has brought into focus the risks agents face during cash-on-delivery orders

- VIRENDRA SINGH RAWAT, PEERZADA ABRAR, ARYAMAN GUPTA BHAVINI MISHRA Lucknow/Bengaluru/New Delhi, 24 October

I n the last week of September, Bharat Kumar, a 32-year-old Flipkart delivery agent, was allegedly strangled in the Chinhat area of Lucknow while delivering two smartphones worth nearly 1,00,000 to a customer via cash-on-delivery (COD). His body was later dumped in a canal. His disappearance triggered a police investigation, leading to the arrest of one accused and the surrender of another.

The killing has once again cast a spotlight on the dangers faced by delivery agents across India, particularly those dealing with CoD transactions.

Following Kumar's murder, delivery workers have raised urgent demands for better safety measures.

Chief among their concerns is the need to cap CoD orders at 2,000, along with provisions for camera-mounted helmets, GPS-equipped bikes, and enhanced institutional insurance, besides financial support for families in case of accidents or fatalities. Some of these measures, they argue, could serve as deterrents and help authorities track and respond to dangerous situations more effectively.

COD, a popular payment mode in the e-commerce ecosystem, allows customers to pay for their purchases upon delivery. While it helps capture a vast customer base reluctant to engage with online payments, it places a significant burden on delivery agents who often find themselves carrying large sums of money or valuable products. The cash involved can make these workers easy targets for theft, fraud, and violence.

Several delivery agents spoken to said they feel vulnerable, particularly when delivering expensive items in remote or poorly lit areas. Late-night deliveries compound the threat.

Cash-on-delivery orders of expensive products are particularly dangerous, said Vipin Kumar (name changed on request), a delivery agent.