iPhone Delivery Delayed, 2 Men Beat Up Employees In Delhi Store

New Delhi:

The over 1 lakh-rupee price tag has not proved to be a deterrent for Apple fanboys and girls, who have been queuing up to get their hands on the latest and greatest iPhone ever since sales began on Friday. And the ‘craze’ isn’t limited to standing in a line for 17 hours or more.  

Told that the delivery of their iPhone 15s would be delayed, two customers in Delhi decided to take matters into their own hands – by beating up staff members at the store. 

A video from the Kamla Nagar Market in North Delhi, which has now gone viral, shows the two men assaulting two employees of the electronics showroom on Friday. The accused, identified as Jaskirat Singh and Mandeep Singh, have been arrested.

A police official said employees at the store had promised the men delivery of the iPhones on the first day that they went on sale in India. “The men got angry when the staff members told them that arranging the phones had not been possible,” said the official. 

Such was the customers’ rage that even the intervention of over 10 other employees could not prevent their colleagues from being beaten up very badly. At one point, the accused can be seen ganging up on one of the staff members. They rain blows on him and tear his t-shirt even as he tries to protect his head by looking down and putting his hands over it. 

There were also reports on Friday of people flying to Mumbai from places like Ahmedabad and Bengaluru to be among the first to purchase items from the new iPhone, Apple Watch and Airpods lineup from India’s first Apple Store at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

“I have been here since 3 pm on Thursday. I waited in the queue for 17 hours to get the first iPhone at India’s first Apple store. I have come from Ahmedabad,” a customer told news agency ANI. 

Another customer, Vivek, from Bengaluru said, “I am happy I am getting my new iPhone 15 Pro. I am very excited.” 

Aan, who is also from Ahmedabad, told ANI, “I flew in on Thursday. I was here at the store at 5 or 6 o’clock. I was at the store opening a few months ago where I was fortunate enough to meet Tim Cook for the second time.”