Mangalore, Jul 12: An unexpected episode occurred when a gang of miscreants destroyed the restaurant after demanding for payment of hafta (protection money) on Wednesday late night at Kadri Mallikatte in the city.
The gang got restless when the brother of the restaurant owner refused to give in to their demand. Apart from assaulting the brother of the restaurant owner Waheed, they wrecked the restaurant, Diner’s Paradise, located in front of City Hospital. The gang members broke window glasses, tables, chairs, and computer belonging to the restaurant.
The policemen from the city crime branch, who were alerted about the incident the same night, have succeeded in arresting seven persons.
The story begins with a person named Santoshraj, who had visited this restaurant along with two of his associates. He had consumed food in the restaurant and returned without paying the bill. When the brother of the restaurant owner asked him to pay the bill, he said that he will pay the bill only after the restaurant owner pays up protection money as demanded by his boss.
Santhosh again came to the restaurant within three days thereafter, had food, and objected to pay the bill when it was presented to him. But the brother of the restaurant owner demanded for payment of the bill. The accused then paid the bill, and threatened the brother.
On Sunday, Santhoshraj again comes to this restaurant with six others. He was seen repeatedly removing a knife from his pocket and wiping, he had food in the restaurant. When he was asked to pay the bill at the end, Santoshraj reportedly waved his knife and said that his boss had asked him to kill the concerned.
As the restaurant owner had informed the police in advance, some police personnel were deputed to the restaurant. But the accused escaped when the policemen barged into the restaurant. Late night on Wednesday, the accused came in with helmet in his head, assaulted the brother of the restaurant owner, and escaped after vandalizing the restaurant.
The policemen chased the miscreants and arrested Santoshraj and his accomplices.
