UP shopkeeper throws hot oil on man for paying Re 1 less for a samosa

AGRA: A 26-year-old man sustained burn injuries on the upper part of his body after a sweet shop owner threw hot oil on him, straight from the wok, following a dispute over Re 1. The incident happened on Tuesday in Mathura, where the victim’s brother had bought a samosa for Rs 6, but paid only Rs 5, as he didn’t have change. It started a brawl, with the accused Suresh Kumar and his sons abusing and thrashing the victim and his brother.
According to victim Hemraj, he and his brother Vishnu, 22, had gone to a sweet shop in Retia market in the morning, where the latter bought a samosa for Rs 6 but could pay only Rs 5.Suresh, the shopkeeper, along with his sons, started abusing and even beating up Vishnu for not paying the remaining Re 1.
“Vishnu called me and when I reached there, they (the shopkeeper and his sons) threw hot oil from a pan on me and my brother,” said Hemraj. Hemraj, trying to shield his brother, received major burn injuries, while Vishnu escaped with minor burns.
Police, however, said they are investigating whether the shopkeeper had intentionally poured hot oil on the victims or it accidentally fell on them.
The shopkeeper, on the other hand, claimed that when he demanded money for the samosa from Vishnu, the latter and his brother vandalized his shop and also looted money.
Station house officer (SHO) of Raya police station, Subhash Chandra Pandey, said a case had been registered against seven persons, including Suresh Kumar and his sons, Pramod and Ram Kumar, under sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, based on a complaint filed by the victim.
Pandey said Pramod and Ram Kumar had been arrested while the remaining, including Suresh, were absconding. He said further investigations were on and the rest of the accused would be nabbed soon.