The Empire restaurant in Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta Road was vandalised on Saturday night, after a group of people including delivery executives working with various apps pelted stones at the building. The delivery executives were angry after some staffers at the restaurant allegedly beat up a delivery executive at the restaurant.
According to the Mico Layout police, one of the staffers at the restaurant attacked a Swiggy delivery partner, after their vehicles were involved in a minor collision outside the restaurant. Following a heated row, the two began fighting. Other delivery executives in the vicinity went to help, and were allegedly assaulted by the restaurant staff.
A section of food delivery executives then reportedly assembled outside the restaurant started pelting stones. Police who were informed about the incident by the restaurant management rushed to the spot and immediately detained 20 men including Swiggy delivery partners.
Mico Layout Police Station officials refused to confirm if anyone has been arrested in connection with the incident. An official said, “It was a minor scuffle which turned into a big fight. Miscreants pelted stones at the glass windows. We immediately reacted and brought the situation under control.”
“Both the parties have filed complaints. All the charges are under bailable sections,” a policeman added.
Empire Restaurant could not be reached for a comment.
In a statement, Swiggy, said, "The incident has been brought to our attention and our team has been in constant touch with the delivery partners and the restaurant ever since. We strongly condemn such acts of aggression and are extending our full support to the investigating authorities in addressing the issue with all the parties involved. We stand by our delivery partners and are ensuring they receive the right medical attention.”
Visuals of the incident posted on Twitter by one Akash VP showed that stone pelting had resulted in broken pieces of glass on the access staircase to the restaurant and in the periphery of the shop.
@empire_hotel was ston pelted by @swiggy_delivery_boys as revenge for hitting delivery boys by hotel staff.#empire_hotel #swiggy #bannerghatta_road pic.twitter.com/1AnvXlxDcD
— akash vp (@akash_vp) January 13, 2019