Hotel owner, staff booked for bursting crackers on busy Kalyan road

THANE: After a video of hotel staff bursting firecrackers on a busy road in Kalyan West — endangering passing motorists, especially two-wheeler riders — went viral, Mahatma Phule police registered a case against the hotel owner and six of his employees

THANE: After a video of hotel staff bursting firecrackers on a busy road in Kalyan West — endangering passing motorists, especially two-wheeler riders — went viral, Mahatma Phule police registered a case against the hotel owner and six of his employees.

The accused were identified as Vitthal Anna Sapalika, owner-operator of Hotel Saffron Vegas Saga on Birla College Road in Bhoirwadi, waiter Prakash Anna Bhat, and four other employees.

According to the police, the staff burst sutli bombs, anars and sparklers on the road outside the hotel between 9pm and 11pm on Sunday, sending sparks toward passing vehicles. When passersby asked them to stop, the staff allegedly argued with them and continued bursting crackers.

Baliramsingh Pardeshi, senior inspector at Mahatma Phule police station, told HT, “Based on the viral video, we registered a case against the hotel owner and his staff under sections 287 and 288 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for negligent conduct with fire and explosive substances. Further investigation is underway.”

Meanwhile, the hotel owner alleged that the man who shot the video had previously demanded money from him. He claimed that after he refused to pay, the man recorded the video on Diwali and circulated it to defame the hotel. He submitted a separate complaint to the police regarding the alleged extortion attempt.