A RESTAURANT manager was left counting his losses after a group of men, claiming to be Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members, thrashed his eatery and assaulted two of his workers on Monday. The reason? They were asked to pay for their meal. The manager, who only wished to be known as Thomas, said that 10 men first came to the restaurant in Jalan Tun Sambanthan on Sunday.
“Upon entering, they asked my workers to bring them food as they said that they were hurt, tired and hungry.
“Naturally, we accorded them the same respect and service given to other customers,” he said.
However, Thomas said that when the men finished their meal, one of them left the restaurant without settling his bill while the others followed suit.
“One of my workers, upon realising that the men were leaving without paying, which came up to RM89, had stopped them and asked them to pay,” he said.
The men, Thomas said, became enraged at the worker’s request and announced that they were Hindraf members.
“They claimed that as they were fi ghting for Indian rights, they should be served food without being expected to pay for it,” he said, adding that the group created a commotion. Not wishing to prolong the trouble, Thomas intervened and apologised on behalf of his worker.
“I told them that they could leave the restaurant without paying. I did not want them to create trouble and disturb my other customers,” he said.
Before the men left, one of them threatened the worker who had asked them to pay and told him to “watch out”.
“I did not expect anything further,” said Thomas. He was wrong. The group returned the following day at 7.30pm, this time in two cars — a Toyota Hilux and a Naza Ria. Thomas claimed he saw them enter the restaurant but chose not to do anything.
“I didn’t want to stop them as I wanted to give them the benefi t of the doubt. It would be rude to tell them that they were not welcome.
“Again, we treated them like any other customer and served their order,” he said.
However, after finishing their food, two of the men pulled out a parang and a metal rod and stood guard at the restaurant’s front and rear entrance.
“They called for the worker who had asked them to pay the bill the day before. When they couldn’t find him, they began assaulting two other workers,” Thomas claimed.
The men broke five tables, 10 chairs and ruined the food. They then left in the cars.
Thomas said he sent the injured workers to Pantai Hospital.
One worker received 12 stitches for a slash wound on his head while the other, who was hit on his hand with the rod, needed follow-up treatment yesterday.
Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Sulaiman Junaidi said police received a call on the incident but by the time they arrived, the suspects had fled.
“We have yet to identify the suspects, who are believed to be in their 30s and 40s. However, our investigation showed the Naza Ria had a fake registration number,” he said.
Sulaiman said the restaurant manager had lodged a police report on the second incident but there was no report on the first incident.
The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with weapons.
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