The deaths of two Indian men in separate US shootings while working as pizza delivery drivers have raised serious concerns about the safety of delivery workers, particularly immigrants who take such jobs to earn extra money.
The latest case involves Gurdeep Singh, an Indian national who was shot dead in Brooklyn, New York, while reportedly delivering pizza on Thursday. His death was confirmed by the Indian Consulate in New York, which said it was assisting his family. The exact motive behind the shooting has not yet been established.
Indian consulate extends support; no arrest
On Monday, Indian Consulate in New York also confirmed the incident and added the officials have been extending support to the family members. However, as of now, there were no reports of arrests published in the American media.
Telangana man killed during pizza delivery in Philadelphia
Gurdeep’s killing came only weeks after another Indian delivery worker, 28-year-old Anshul Kuncha from Telangana, was shot dead in Philadelphia. Kuncha was working part-time as a pizza delivery driver while also employed at a multinational company. In June, he responded to a pizza order at a housing complex. Reports said the apartment linked to the order was vacant. Kuncha was subsequently shot dead.
His family alleged that the order may have been a deliberate trap. Police were investigating the phone number associated with the order, while surveillance footage reportedly showed people following Kuncha. However, investigators have not publicly established that he was specifically targeted because he was Indian.
Is this a pattern?
The two cases are not necessarily connected. There is also no confirmed evidence that Indian delivery workers are being deliberately targeted in the US. But the similarities are alarming.
Both victims were Indian immigrants working in the food-delivery sector. Their jobs required them to travel alone, sometimes at night, and interact with strangers at unfamiliar locations. That creates obvious risks, particularly when workers are sent to isolated areas or addresses that may not be properly verified.
For many immigrants, delivery work is also an important source of income. Some take these jobs to pay bills, support families in India, repay debts or supplement earnings from other employment. Financial pressure can make workers less likely to refuse difficult or potentially unsafe assignments.
No concrete safety measures for late night deliveries
These deaths therefore raise a larger question about worker safety in America’s delivery economy. Companies could potentially strengthen safeguards by verifying customers, flagging suspicious orders, providing better emergency-response systems and allowing drivers to decline deliveries that appear unsafe.
At the same time, authorities need to establish the motives behind both shootings. Until investigations are completed, it would be premature to label them as hate crimes or coordinated attacks against Indians.
Still, the deaths of Gurdeep Singh and Anshul Kuncha highlight a disturbing vulnerability faced by delivery workers.
For two Indian families, ordinary workdays ended in tragedy. The question now is whether these incidents will lead to stronger protections for delivery workers, or whether more lives will be lost before the risks are taken seriously.
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