Ggm café owner assaulted for objecting to lewd comments against women guests

The owner of a prominent café in Gurugram’s DLF Phase 2 and his staff were assaulted by three men, allegedly after they objected to the suspects passing lewd comments against female patrons of the establishment, police said on Monday.

All three suspects were arrested and were granted bail on Monday, police said.

Police said the incident took place at 11.57pm on Saturday. CCTV footage of the incident purportedly shows four men barging into the café, following which three men proceed to thrash the owner. When three staffers came to his rescue, they were beaten up as well, police said.

The injured staff were taken to a nearby private hospital and were discharged after being treated for the injuries, said police.

On the owner’s complaint, a first information report was registered against the three suspects under section 34 (common intention), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian penal code at DLF Phase-II police station on Sunday, said police.

The café’s owner, requesting anonymity, said the incident was the fallout of his objecting to the suspect honking at female guests leaving the premises at night. “On weekends, sex workers queue up alongside the road near the café. Anti-social elements also reach there,” he alleged.

“We had scolded a local man on Saturday. He threatened to teach me a lesson. Within a few minutes, he returned with three associates and assaulted us. We managed to inform the police and a patrolling vehicle reached the spot within 10 minutes,” he said.

According to police, the suspects were inebriated at the time of the incident.

“Further investigation is going on. Police were aware about the scenario arising from sex workers. We keep taking necessary action within the legal framework,” said inspector Satender Singh, station house officer, DLF Phase 2 police station.

Singh said that the sex workers flee as soon as they spot police patrolling teams but gather again at night. “Our teams continuously patrol the area due to which the menace has decreased but it still exists at a few spots,” he said.

Meanwhile, the owner of the café has said he is considering shutting shop.

“After the incident, my family is asking me to wrap up this business and start something else… They fear that I may be targeted someday for approaching the police,” he said.