Flipkart has said it is "deeply disturbed" by allegations against one of its delivery partners after a Bengaluru woman accused him of forcibly entering her home without permission and exposing himself after using her washroom.
In a statement shared with IBTimes India, the e-commerce company said it was extending its full support to the customer and had taken immediate action against the delivery partner involved.
"We are deeply disturbed by the incident and are extending our full support to the customer. Customer safety is non-negotiable. As soon as the matter came to our attention, we immediately terminated the engagement of the delivery partner involved. An FIR has been registered, and we are fully committed to co-operate with the investigating authorities," Flipkart said.
The company added that all delivery partners undergo background verification and mandatory training before onboarding. "While incidents of this nature are extremely rare, even a single such incident is unacceptable. We are reviewing the matter thoroughly to determine whether any additional measures can further strengthen our customer safety processes," it added.
The statement came after a woman in Bengaluru alleged that a delivery agent working for the e-commerce platform forced his way into her apartment despite being repeatedly denied permission to enter and later exposed his private parts after using her washroom.
According to Bengaluru Police, a case was registered at the Marathahalli Police Station based on the woman's complaint alleging sexual harassment by the delivery agent. The case has been booked under Sections 75, 79 and 329(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police identified the accused as Vijay Mallikarjun Kamat, who has since been arrested. Further legal proceedings are underway.
In a post on Instagram, the complainant alleged that the delivery agent arrived at her residence with a parcel and requested permission to use her washroom. She claimed that she repeatedly refused and suggested that he seek help from her male neighbours instead.
"I politely refused multiple times and clearly told him that I do not allow strangers inside my flat. I even suggested that he ask the male neighbours next door since it was an emergency," she wrote.
However, she alleged that the delivery agent ignored her refusal, removed his slippers and entered her home without consent.
Recalling the incident, the woman said she feared for her safety and kept her phone camera recording while leaving the main door open in case she needed to escape or seek help.
"When he came out of the washroom, he exposed his private parts to me. I felt shocked, violated, humiliated, and completely unsafe in my own home. A woman said 'NO!' That should have been the end of the conversation. No one has the right to ignore her boundaries or force their way into her home," she wrote.
The woman said she decided to make her experience public to seek justice and raise awareness.
"Bangalore police and Bangalore people, please stand with me and help this reach the right people. Every woman deserves to feel safe in her own home," she added.
Police said the investigation into the case is ongoing.
