Video of Zomato 'rider' on horseback in Hyderabad goes viral

Amid the petrol shortage crisis caused by the truck drivers' strike, a Zomato delivery boy chose an unexpected mode of transport: a horse.

A Zomato delivery agent in Hyderabad caught the attention of onlookers when he was seen riding a horse while on the job. The video was shared by a user on X (formerly Twitter) and soon went viral on social media.

The incident unfolded as petrol stations experienced prolonged queues due to protests by truck drivers in various cities opposing a newly implemented law pertaining to hit-and-run cases.

The delivery agent, visibly affected by the extended wait at a petrol station, made the unconventional decision to abandon his conventional vehicle in light of the time-consuming queue. Instead, he opted for a horse to complete his work. In the video, he can be seen engaging with a passerby, expressing his discontent with having waited for three hours in the petrol queue. He said, "Petrol nahi mila, teen ghante line mein khada raha."

A Zomato delivery agent in Hyderabad’s Chanchalguda area chose to deliver an order on horseback when faced with a long queue at the petrol pump due to a fuel shortage for his bike. @zomato #Hyderabad #Horse #DeliveryBoy #Driverstrike #TruckDriversProtest #Viral #Telangana… pic.twitter.com/h8Q6xFFuQK

— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) January 3, 2024

Netizens expressed admiration for the delivery person's dedication, applauding his commitment to ensuring timely food deliveries despite the challenging circumstances.

Many users took to social media platforms urging Zomato to acknowledge his extraordinary efforts by offering additional compensation. One user humorously remarked, "Hope the food package survived the bumpy ride. But a very interesting choice of horse power though."

The context behind this scene stems from the recent penal law amendment, which imposes severe penalties on drivers who cause fatal accidents due to reckless driving and subsequently flee the scene without reporting the incident. Such offenders could face up to 10 years of imprisonment and/or hefty fines under this legislation, as reported by PTI.

The nationwide strike by truckers concluded following government assurances of consultations with concerned parties regarding the hit-and-run legislation.