Customers also damaged the premises; owner claims it all happened in front of the cops
A CCTV grab of the damage attack
When a petrol pump owner refused to give fuel to two customers as they were not wearing masks, they allegedly called a dozen of their friends and assaulted him and his staff, including a woman. They also went on to damage the petrol pump, and all this, right in the presence of a cop, claimed the owner. The incident took place on Friday at Manikpur in Vasai.
The shocking incident occurred at Vasai's Manikpur on Friday evening. According to sources, two youth arrived at the Bharat Petroleum Pump located at Manikpur around 6.30 pm on Friday. They weren't wearing masks, and when the petrol pump owner asked them to wear masks, they refused to do so. Police said the owner, Mukesh Patel then refused to give them the petrol until they wore masks. Angered by this, they had a scuffle with the owner and the staff called some of their other colleagues for the help.
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However, the police said in a short while about 15 to 20 people known to the two accused reached there, and soon began to vandalise the petrol pump. They assaulted the owner, his son and nephew, and the employees, including a woman employee.
Petrol pump owner Mukesh Patel shows his injuries
'Police were there'
"At the beginning of the quarrel, we had called the police. A constable reached the spot, but soon 15 to 20 companions of the accused came and started vandalising the petrol pump, assaulting us with whatever they could get in their hands. They brutally beat me up as well as my son, my nephew and the employees, including a woman. They also tried to break into our office," said owner Patel.
The woman employee was slapped and abused. "Petrol was being emptied from a tanker and I was standing next to it when a youth came and slapped and abused me. He told me to immediately run away," said staffer Pratishtha Rane, 24.
Police speak
A cop (third from right) is seen in a CCTV grab of the incident trying to pacify the crowd. PIC/Hanif Patel
"When we were informed, two constables went to the spot right away. One of them shot the whole incident to help us identify the accused later. The other tried to pacify the crowd. Our senior officials are at the spot investigating the case, collecting the CCTV footage so that we can identify the accused and take action against them," said Senior Inspector Rajinder Kamble of Manikpur police station. Another police officer said the constables could not catch anyone then and by the time more police personnel arrived, the crowd had dispersed. He also said all the accused, whom they are looking for, have been charged with rioting and assault.
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