Army Major, 16 Jawans Beaten By Dhaba Owner And His Men In Punjab. Reason: He Wanted Cash Instead Of UPI: Report

A group of 16 soldiers led by an Army Major reportedly suffered a severe assault by the owner and employees of a roadside eatery along the Manali-Ropar Road in Punjab, as per report by The Indian Express. This resulted in significant injuries to the Major and several soldiers, Law enforcement initiated legal action by filing an FIR at the Kiratpur Sahib police station and apprehended two individuals believed to be involved in the incident, Express reported. 

According to the FIR lodged during the early hours of Tuesday, the event occurred on Monday as Major Sachin Singh Kuntal and his Ladakh Scouts unit were journeying back from Palchan, close to Manali in Himachal Pradesh, following their victory in a snow marathon held in Lahaul the day before. 

The group of soldiers, en route to Chandimandir, made a dinner stop at the Alpine dhaba near Bharatgarh in the Ropar district around 9:15 pm, according to the report by Express. As per the First Information Report (FIR), a dispute arose between the soldiers and the dhaba owner regarding the payment method for the bill. The owner refused payment via UPI and demanded cash to evade taxation. 

What Exactly Happened?

Despite the soldiers paying the bill online, the dispute persisted, with the dhaba owner insisting on cash payment. When the Major declined, approximately 30-35 individuals attacked him and his soldiers with lathis, sticks, and iron rods, as reported by the police. The Major sustained injuries to his arms and head, rendering him unconscious, prompting the attackers to flee. The soldiers promptly transported him to Civil Hospital Ropar for treatment in their hired tempo traveler. 

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ropar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said that a case had been registered under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

The Kiratpur Sahib SHO identified the two arrested accused as Rajneesh alias Himanshu, a resident of Rajpura in Punjab, and Tanay, a resident of Uttar Pradesh. “The dhaba owner is on the run along with several others. We are identifying other accused through CCTV footage,” he told Express.