Hyderabad: Meridian restaurant staff 'beat customer to death' for demanding extra curd for biryani

Hyderabad: A customer was allegedly beaten to death by the staff and owner of Meridian restaurant, Punjagutta after he demanded extra curd (raita) for biryani.

On Sunday, Liyaqat visited the restaurant for dinner. There was a quarrel between the staff and the customer when he asked to get extra curd for the biryani. After a heated argument, the customer was beaten by the hotel staff.

Panjagutta police shifted both of them to the police station, the customer collapsed while speaking to the police. Police immediately rushed to the local Deccan Hospital. He died while receiving treatment in the hospital.

Panjagutta police registered a case against five persons and others, which includes the hotel staff and the owner. The hotel staff have been taken into custody.

What happened on September 10?

According to the complainant, on September 10, at around 10:30 pm, the victim along with nine of his friends went to the Meridian Hotel in Panjagutta for dinner. They ordered two mutton biryani and told the hotel staff to get extra curd. The waiter replied in a rude manner telling them to wait and also abused them.

Infuriated by the waiter’s actions, Liyaqat got up and confronted him. Immediately, two other waiters joined in and started quarrelling with Liyaqat and his friends, physically beating them.

Soon, two more from the hotel joined in and started abusing and beating the victim and his friends. One of the staff members of the hotel telephoned their owner Mohd Yousuf Qureshi. But nothing was done to stop the quarrel.

The police came and intervened. They took four persons from the friends’ group to the police station: Mohd Omer, Mohd Naser, Mohd Mustafa, and Mohd Liyaqat. At the station, Liyaqat developed uneasiness and was shifted to the Deccan Hospital where he was declared dead. A case has been registered. The investigation is on.