Two cops assault eatery owner for refusing to serve past midnight

Two Moradabad cops were suspended for brutally assaulting a restaurant owner and employee after being denied food post-midnight.

In a case of alleged police high-handedness in Moradabad, two cops were caught on camera brutally assaulting a restaurant owner and one of his employees for refusing to serve them food as it was past midnight.

Two cops assault eatery owner for refusing to serve past midnight

One of them was identified as Thakurdwara outpost in-charge and sub-inspector Surendra Singh, and the other is constable Rajat Balyan. Both have been suspended after a complaint was filed on the chief minister’s portal.

According to the CCTV footage from the eatery, the two police officers entered the restaurant on Kashipur Road around 12:30 a.m. on Friday and demanded food. However, the eatery, operated by one Shahrukh, had shut its kitchen before midnight.

Shahrukh said the duo came to his establishment in an inebriated condition and demanded food, but since the kitchen was closed, he politely refused.

This enraged the policemen. CCTV visuals showed them slapping, kicking, and chasing an employee with a wiper. When Shahrukh intervened, the two grabbed him by the collar and dragged and assaulted him. “They vandalised the restaurant and destroyed the kitchen. We won’t be able to operate for at least three to four days. Who will compensate for this loss?” Shahrukh asked.

He added that he filed a complaint on the chief minister’s portal.

After the CCTV footage went viral on social media, SSP Satpal Antil suspended both accused officers, and the issue was being probed by SP (rural) Kunwar Akash Singh.

Meanwhile, the suspended S-I claimed that he and constable Rajat were returning from night patrol when they found the restaurant open past closing hours. He alleged that the restaurant owner became aggressive when asked to close on time and misbehaved with them.