A restaurant owner in Ranchi was shot dead allegedly by a customer who was served non-vegetarian biryani instead of the vegetarian one that he had purportedly ordered.
According to police, the incident took place on Saturday night. Police sources said the unidentified customer had ordered vegetarian biryani and took the parcel home, only to realise later that he had got the chicken version of the dish. He then called the restaurant owner, identified as 50-year-old Vijay Nag, and argued with him over the phone.
According to officers, matters escalated after the phone conversation. At around 11.30 pm, when Vijay Nag was having dinner at his restaurant, the angry customer went back there in a car with three of his associates. After a brief conversation, a heated exchange took place, which led to pushing and shoving between those involved, sources said.
“In the middle of the scuffle, the customer pulled out a gun and shot Vijay in the chest before fleeing the scene,” an officer said.
When people rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshot, they found Vijay lying on the floor. The assailants allegedly quickly fled the scene in their car.
Vijay was immediately taken to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, where doctors declared him dead.
Police staff from Kanke police station, along with other senior officials, then went to the scene of the crime and began barricading the area to trace and catch the shooters.
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Kanke MLA and Congress leader Suresh Kumar Baitha told the media, “It is said that four men came at night and ordered vegetarian food, but later found chicken bones in it, which escalated the matter. Suddenly, the customer pulled out his gun and fired at Vijay.”
Baitha further said the case may not be limited to the biryani dispute alone, and claimed that a property dispute could also be involved, since some people allegedly had their eyes on Vijay’s property.
Family members staged a protest, demanding that police arrest all the accused within 24 hours, warning that they would otherwise launch a large-scale protest in the city. Meanwhile, police officers said they are examining CCTV footage to trace and arrest the shooters as soon as possible.
