Pizza delivery driver beaten for €40 by thugs in Tallaght estate
By Aura McMenamin
A takeaway driver suffered a vicious assault in Tallaght on Sunday night during a delivery, with thieves stealing just €40.
Satheesan Narayanan had just completed delivering pizza to a house in Glenshane Drive, Tallaght when he says a group of six teenagers surrounded him.
Any use of this photo is prohibited without permission
One of the teenagers forcefully punched him in the face which knocked him to the ground. The Domino’s driver, originally from India, was then robbed.
Mr Narayanan described how the group wordlessly approached him just before 11pm on Sunday night: “I just came out after delivering. I was attacked by around six teenagers, aged fifteen to eighteen.
“They just came and punched me in the face. They didn’t say anything. Blood was all over my face. With force, they pulled my money from my belt.”
Immediately after Sunday night’s attack, he drove back to work to clean the blood from his face and presented at the Tallaght garda station.
Mr Narayanan, who has not returned to work since, was left with two swollen eyes and has been left shaken by the incident. He said that he had ‘two or three’ previous incidents, including being threatened by a man with a sledgehammer.
Takeaway delivery drivers feel they are under threat in Tallaght, with Mr Sarayanan and other Domino’s employees speaking to The Echo this week about their experience of violence in certain areas of Tallaght.
Another driver, Sebastian Ephren said: “It used to happen in MacUlliam. We don’t enter the estate anymore. As soon as they see the Domino’s uniform, they come and attack.
Any use of this photo is prohibited without permission
“MacUlliam and Brookview: those two areas are very crazy. We are not delivering for those areas. We go to the Main Road and they collect it, otherwise they can’t order.”
Regi Mathew said you can never predict when an attack will happen, but they were more common on the weekends.
Mr Mathew said that as a result, Domino’s tells its driver to hand over any money immediately to avoid being assaulted. However, with attacks like Sunday’s, drivers aren’t being given the option to walk away unscathed.
When asked if the men, who are all Indian-born, thought there was a racist motivation, Mr Ephren said: “No reason. Nothing said. They just direct a punch.”
Local area representative for Fine Gael Baby Pereppadan often acts as a political link for the Indian community in Tallaght. He said the issue was now serious and he would be meeting councillor Brian Lawlor to discuss it.
Gardai said they were investigating the robbery and added: “The incident involved a delivery driver who was accosted by a number of youths. Following an altercation a small sum of cash was taken. The man received minor injuries.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Tallaght Garda Station on 01 6666000.”
