A food delivery agent became the victim of assault by residents of a gated society in Bengaluru's Electronic City due to false allegations made by an 8-year-old girl. The girl claimed that the delivery agent attempted to kidnap her and forcefully took her to the terrace. However, subsequent evidence from nearby CCTV footage proved the accusations to be untrue.
On the morning of June 12, the parents of the girl noticed her missing upon returning home after dropping off their five-year-old son at school. They discovered their main door locked from the outside and immediately started a frantic search for their daughter. Concerned neighbours joined in the search efforts. After nearly half-an-hour, one of the neighbours spotted the girl on the terrace. Although relieved to find her, the parents questioned why she was on the terrace. In response, the girl alleged that a food delivery agent had rung their doorbell and forcibly taken her to the terrace, and that she had managed to escape by biting him.
Alarmed by the girl's account, the society's security personnel were notified to prevent any delivery agent from leaving the premises. The girl identified the alleged perpetrator, after which her parents and society residents assaulted him. Subsequently, he was confined to the room typically used by security personnel. News of the incident spread, resulting in protests by other delivery agents near the society's main gate.
Upon the arrival of a Hoysala patrol vehicle, the protesting delivery agents dispersed. Later in the evening, the girl's parents and the accused delivery agent were summoned to the Electronic City police station for further investigation. The police initiated an inquiry and took the accused to a hospital to examine the supposed ‘bite mark’ on his hand. It was determined that the mark on his hand was not from a bite, but rather from an unrelated injury.
Reviewing CCTV footage from the shop where the delivery agent collected the order, it was confirmed that he remained there until 9.35 am. Notably, the girl was observed missing at 9.40 am, shortly after the delivery agent had left the store. This evidence established his innocence, leading to his release.
Further, the police analysed CCTV footage from a neighbouring paying guest accommodation, revealing that the girl had independently walked to the terrace and was playing there for a while till the neighbours spotted her. When confronted, she admitted to fabricating the story out of fear that her parents would scold her for playing during school hours.
According to the Times of India, the girl’s parents apologised to the delivery agent. The police told him that he can file a counter complaint against the parents but he was reluctant to do so as he was moving back to Assam permanently. However, the delivery agent told TOI that he was still suffering from shoulder pain from being beaten. He said, “I don’t know why she made the false claim. I really thank the Electronic City police for scanning the CCTV footage, which saved me. My biggest worry is what would have happened if there was no CCTV footage of the girl going to the terrace by herself.”