The owner of the cafe said he lodged a complaint with the police, adding that the incident raises concerns about safety of patrons in GurgaonThree men were arrested for allegedly beating up the staffers and owner of a cafe in Gurgaon’s DLF phase 2 area on Saturday night. Police said the accused were inebriated at the time.
According to the police, the incident took place at a cafe – known for hosting stand-up comedy and poetry – around midnight when some patrons were present inside.
The cafe owner, requesting anonymity, said for the past few days, several customers, especially women, have complained to them about some men misbehaving with them near the parking area outside. “On Saturday, we hosted a comedy show. I heard that some goons outside were honking cars and misbehaving with women and asking them to sit in their cars. I went outside to confront them and to ask them to leave. The accused started arguing and hurling abuses and told me they would return. Meanwhile, I informed the police. At 11.57 pm, when some customers, including women and children, were at the cafe, four men barged into the cafe and attacked us,” said the owner.
He said one of the accused had a belt in his hand. “Three of them started beating me and my staff. The accused were drunk and they pelted a stone and slapped me. They punched and kicked the workers. Since we had informed the police, we closed the gate and managed to get hold of one of the accused, while others threatened us before running away. The fourth person accompanying them did not attack anyone. The police arrived in ten minutes and we handed over one accused. The workers suffered minor bruises,” he added.
The owner said he lodged a complaint with the police, adding that the incident raises concerns about safety of patrons in Gurgaon. “This is a family-friendly place. One of my staffers has quit since the incident and I have kept the cafe shut for two days. Earlier this week, I had complained to the police about groups of men misbehaving with women in the area outside but no action was taken. The accused boasted of connections… It is scary. If we are not safe, how can we ensure the safety of customers,” the cafe owner told The Indian Express.
Police said an FIR was registered against the accused under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) at DLF phase 2 police station. An officer said, “The three accused have been arrested. As per initial probe, they were drunk. We are conducting regular patrolling and strict action shall be taken against miscreants.”