Restaurant owner brutally beaten by goons over 200-rupee dispute in UP's Premnagar, café vandalized

A violent incident took place in Premnagar on Sunday evening, leaving a restaurant owner severely injured after being assaulted by a group of individuals over a 200-rupee dispute. Kshitij Saxena, the owner of the "Food Parth" restaurant in DD Puram, filed a police complaint against Arsh Raza, a local resident, and 25 other unidentified individuals. The dispute began when Saxena presented a bill of 700 rupees to Raza, who paid only 500 rupees and refused to pay the remaining 200.

According to Saxena, when he requested the remaining 200 rupees, Raza became hostile, using abusive language. Raza reportedly threatened Saxena, saying that he would "deal with him later" and began showing off his political connections. Saxena asked Raza to leave the premises, after which Raza exited the restaurant. However, things escalated further when Raza returned a short time later, accompanied by 20 to 25 people.

The group of attackers stormed the restaurant and began physically assaulting Saxena. They dragged him out of the café, threw him to the ground, and continued beating him on the street. Saxena’s employees, who attempted to intervene, were also attacked. One employee was dragged roughly across the café’s stairs, sustaining injuries in the process. The group of attackers showed no restraint, and anyone who attempted to stop them was also beaten. Saxena reported that they also vandalized the café, damaging furniture and equipment.

During the assault, the attackers attempted to loot money from the restaurant’s cash register. They tried to steal the cash kept on the premises, further intensifying the violence. Saxena was later treated for injuries, and a formal complaint was filed with the police, naming Raza and the 25 unnamed individuals involved in the incident.

The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Arsh Raza and the other suspects. Authorities are using video footage from the scene, captured by eyewitnesses, to aid in identifying the attackers. As of now, Raza and the other suspects remain at large, and the police are actively working to apprehend them. The police have stated that they are looking into the political connections allegedly mentioned by Raza and are investigating if these claims played any role in the incident.