Delhi: Zomato delivery agent murdered ‘for smoking’ in Tilak Nagar horror

According to the family members and Asif, the delivery agent who called for medical help, Sagar did not get any help for 15-20 minutes leading to massive blood loss.

Two Nihang Sikhs stabbed to death a 29-year-old Zomato delivery agent in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar in the early hours of Wednesday over a petty issue, the police said even as the local residents alleged that the two suspects picked up a fight with the victim, Sagar Singh, because he was smoking.

“The victim, Sagar Singh, was stabbed in his chest. Initial probe showed that Singh had a quarrel with two people after which he was stabbed,” the DCP said.(file pic)

Deputy commissioner of police (west) Ghanshyam Bansal said the police control room was informed about the incident at 12.30. When the local police reached the spot, residents told them that the victim has been taken to the hospital. Sagar was declared dead on arrival by doctors at the hospital, he added.

“The victim, Sagar Singh, was stabbed in his chest. Initial probe showed that Singh had a quarrel with two people after which he was stabbed,” the DCP said.

He said that based on the information gathered during the probe, the police arrested Harshdeep Singh, 22, a resident of nearby Chander Vihar, and the knifeused in the murder was recovered from him. Both suspects are Nihangs, an Sikh warrior order, the police said.

Bansal said that police teams are looking for the second suspect. “During interrogation, Harshdeep told the police that he and his friend were near a restaurant on street number 13, Krishna Puri, when they saw Sagar blocking their way. He said they asked Sagar to move aside but he rebuked them instead,” the DCP said the claims made by the suspect are being verified.

However, Sagar’s family, another Zomato delivery agent who called the ambulance, and locals of the area told HT that the two accused picked up a fight with Sagar since he was smoking.

Sagar’s brother-in-law, Inder Pal (38), who also works as a delivery agent, said that Sagar used to work nigh shifts to make extra money and to avoid the traffic during the day. “On June 15, he received his first order around 12am and the order had to be picked up from an eatery close to his house in street number 13. Sagar had dinner with his wife Satwant Kaur alias Komal and their 8-year-old son and left for work. He reached the eatery on the first floor within minutes, picked up the order and climbed down the stairs. He walked across the street and started smoking a cigarette,” Pal said, adding that he talked to several eyewitnesses and those who gathered at the spot after Sagar was stabbed.

“Two Nihang Sikhs, who were present near the restaurant, abused Sagar for smoking. But when Sagar told them that the was smoking in an open space, and refused to stop, the two Nihangs got angry. “They took out their kirpans (daggers) and stabbed him in the left side of the chest,” Pal alleged.

Santosh Kumar, owner of a building material shop, located below the restaurant, said he was sleeping in his shop but a commotion woke him up around midnight. “When I came out, I found Sagar lying in a pool of his blood outside my shop. People who had gathered outside told me that Sagar was also beaten up with bricks that were lying near my shop,” he said, adding that the two Nihangs had fled by then.

DCP Bansal said they are investigating the claims that Sagar was beaten up with bricks too.

According to the family members and Asif, the delivery agent who called for medical help, Sagar did not get any help for 15-20 minutes leading to massive blood loss.

Asif said he was passing by the road when he saw Sagar lying near the pavement. “Till the time I reached, nobody touched his body. It was already 15minutes at least. If he would have been taken to the hospital in time, he might have been saved,” Asif said.

Asif said he called up Sagar’s wife from the latter’s phone to inform her about the incident. He said while he was trying to call up the police helpline, the customer whose order Sagar was going to deliver, called up. “We couldn’t reach the emergency number so I asked the customer to inform police. He called up the police helpline and a team reached the spot,” Asif recalled.

“All we want is a secure future for Sagar’s wife and her son. We hope Zomato helps them,” said Mohan Lal a relative.

A Zomato spokesperson said, “The incident is unfortunate to say the least. We are in touch with the family of the executive and have extended all possible support to them.”