A festive gathering at ‘Agent Jack’s Bar’ in VR Mall took a violent turn, resulting into a brutal assault on a 53-year-old man and two youths, one of whom is the son of BJP leader Munna Yadav. The assailants obstructed the victims’ vehicle in a filmy style, forcibly pulled them out and attacked them with bricks. The incident took place on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. The victims, identified as Anand Bipinchandra Shah (53), a resident of Badkas Square; Arjun Omprakash Yadav (24), a resident of Ajni; and Ashish Naujiya Hajare (24), a resident of Manish Nagar, sustained serious injuries during the assault led by Pradip Purandas Uikey (30) and his seven associates. Uikey is an accused in a 2016 murder case reported at the Ambazari Police Station, police said.

 

A police official revealed that Arjun and Ashish were at Agent Jack’s bar for a Christmas party, where Anand Shah was also present with his friends. At 2.30 am, Anand’s friends left, and he found himself without transportation. Ashish knew Anand through his father, so he offered him a ride back home. As they were leaving the bar, a quarrel with Pradip escalated into a violent confrontation. Bar security intervened and escorted them to the parking slot, but the verbal abuses resumed, he said.

 

Anand, Arjun, and Ashish left in a Maruti Alto. While heading to Ajni, Pradip and his associates in a blue Maruti Dzire began chasing them. At 3 am, a motorcycle appeared in front of the Alto car and Ashish stopped his vehicle. Just then, the Dzire car and another motorcycle arrived at the scene. They surrounded the Alto car and forcibly opened the door, and brutally attacked Anand, Arjun, and Ashish. The assailants even used a roadside brick to hit the victims on the head. The victims collapsed in a pool of blood. Arjun managed to contact his brother, who rushed them to the hospital. The Imambada Police, after obtaining medical statements, initiated a case under various sections 307, 326, 341, 294, 506 (2), 143, 144, 147, 148, 149 of the Indian Penal Code against Uikey.