Restaurant owner, staffers among 20 persons booked for assaulting police team, rioting

Thane: Police have registered a case of rioting against 20 persons, including the owner and employees of a restaurant in Maharashtra's Thane city, for allegedly assaulting a police team, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight on January 5, he said.

"A police team visited Skyline restaurant located in Upvan area of the city for inspection purposes on the orders of their seniors. However, its owner and staffers prevented them from entering the premises," the official said.

"The situation escalated to such a level that the accused attacked a police personnel with a microphone rod in which the latter suffered injuries on his chest. They also attacked other police personnel by slapping and punching them. One police officer's mobile phone was also snatched," he added.

Some of the accused have been identified as restaurant owner Harsh Bhanushali (27) and staff members Gopal Mulani (31), Krishna Guta (20) and Deepak Mite (22), he said.

The FIR was registered at the Vartak Nagar police station on Monday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections, including, 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from their duty), 352 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(1) (criminal intimidation), 118(1) and 118(2) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 189(2) (unlawful assembly) and 191(2) and 191(3) (rioting).