THANE: A 41-year-old hotelier from Bhandup was allegedly assaulted by a mob of around 21 men inside an office in Thane’s Wagle Estate on Wednesday, in a violent altercation that reportedly stemmed from a minor dispute.According to police, the incident occurred around 3.15 pm when the hotelier was at the Wagle Estate premises for a business discussion along with some other builders and the office owner. Suddenly, a group of men barged into the office and began attacking those present.“They started punching and kicking the hotelier and others, and ransacked the place using whatever objects were available — cups, paperweights, flower pots, etc.,” an officer said. The victim sustained multiple injuries, including a severe blow to his private parts.An FIR was registered late on 16 July under multiple stringent sections of the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The main accused named in the FIR is Bhushan Bhanushali, a city-based developer, along with 20 others. However, Bhanushali denied involvement in the assault, stating, “My name is being unnecessarily dragged into this. I was trying to resolve the matter.”Police believe the altercation was triggered by a small argument involving the accused’s son, but added that the full sequence of events will become clearer as the investigation progresses. Officers are examining CCTV footage from the office and nearby areas and are recording witness statements.The case was registered under sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, house trespass, criminal intimidation, mischief, and voluntarily causing hurt at Shri Nagar police station in Thane.
