A late-night craving for food turned into a nightmare for a 26-year-old fitness coach who was brutally assaulted and chased by over 10 men outside a dhabha at the Phase 3B2 market. The altercation erupted after he confronted them for harassing his female friend, said police.
The victim, identified as Bharat Bangar, 26, a resident of Sector 21, Panchkula, remains under treatment at the Mohali civil hospital for multiple injuries on the left eye, legs, knees, hands and back.
In his statement to police, Bangar said he was going to drop his female friend home in Kharar on Thursday night. On the way, they stopped for food at the Phase 3B2 market.
After having food, as they stepped out of the dhabha, three men passed objectionable comments about his friend, who works in the Punjab electricity department. Initially, they ignored the men and returned to his car, said Bangar.
But the three men, while standing near the dhabha, continued to stare at his friend while passing offensive remarks. They still considered it better sense to ignore them and remained seated inside the car. But the men proceeded to make lewd gestures, following which he rolled down the car window and confronted them.
Dragged, beaten up, chased for several kms
Angered, Bangar alleged, one of the men charged towards him and dragged him out of the car, before unleashing punches on his face with around 10 accomplices.
Bangar said he ran to save his life while being chased by the miscreants in their cars and also on foot. “I could sense that they would not stop assaulting me and thus I ran to save myself. My Apple iPhone also dropped somewhere amid the melee. I took cover in various places to ward off the assailants and eventually reached my female friend’s house in Kharar on foot. As I lost my phone, I could not contact anyone. Meanwhile, she also reached home with my car. As I lied on the bed, I immediately passed out due to pain. My friend took me to the hospital the next morning and also informed the Mohali SSP,” the victim stated in his complaint.
Meanwhile, Gabbar Singh, station house officer at the Mataur station, said they promptly launched investigation after receiving a complaint. “We are scanning CCTV footage around the market to nab the accused. Moreover, a permanent PCR team will remain deployed in the said market to avoid such late-night incidents,” the SHO said.
DSP Ajitpal Singh said the statement of the victim had been recorded and an assault case had been registered on his complaint.
Not a first
In a similar incident in March, a late-night dinner dash to a cafe in the same market had turned ghastly for a Mohali-based businessman and his doctor friend as they got into an altercation with five men, including three Nihang Sikhs, who attacked them with sharp-edged weapons, including swords.
The attack had left complainant Harinder Singh, 36, who runs a private manpower company in Mohali, and Dr Sukhdeep Singh Brar, 33, who runs a private clinic, with multiple grievous injuries. Harinder had received 11 stitches, including eight on the head and three near the right eye.