Ghaziabad restaurant vandalised over late service; 3 held

The 50-second CCTV footage clip purportedly shows the men attacking the restaurant when people are having dinner

Ghaziabad: Three people were arrested and a search was launched for others after a video clip showing a group of men vandalising a restaurant in Rajnagar Extension, Ghaziabad, with wooden sticks surfaced on social media on Sunday, police said, adding that a delay in serving food sparked the dispute.

Complainant Tyagi alleged that the suspects broke two laptops, one LED, a billing machine, and the counter. “They also stole ₹1,760 from the counter and assaulted customer. (HT Photos)

The 50-second CCTV footage clip purportedly shows the men attacking the restaurant when people are having dinner.

HT, however, could not independently confirm the video’s authenticity.

“On Friday night, suspects Minto Tyagi, Rajdeep Kumar, and Ravi Sharma — all in their 30s and residents of Modinagar and Sihani in Ghaziabad — had gone to have dinner at a restaurant in Rajnagar Extension. Due to delay in food service, a dispute broke out between the suspects and the restaurant owner, Akshit Tyagi,” said a police officer requesting anonymity.

The matter was initially pacified by a mutual acquaintance, making the suspects leave the scene. However, on Saturday around 11.30pm, the suspects returned with seven to eight friends on motorcycles and in a car, and started vandalising the restaurant, the officer added.

“They attacked the hotel while customers were having dinner and later threatened Tyagi before fleeing the spot,” said Nandgram assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Poonam Mishra.

Following Tyagi’s complaint, police have registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for assault or use of criminal force, abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons, criminal intimidation, and robbery, at Nandgram police station against three identified and seven unidentified suspects, the ACP added.

Tyagi alleged that the suspects broke two laptops, one LED, a billing machine, and the counter. “They also stole ₹1,760 from the counter and assaulted customers,” the FIR stated.

“All three prime suspects were arrested on Sunday, and efforts are underway to identify the remaining accused,” the ACP said, adding that further probe is on.