Free haleem offer on first day of Ramzan causes chaos outside Hyderabad hotel; police lathi-charge crowd

The police lodged a case against the management of Aazebo restaurant in Hyderabad’s Malakpet after its free haleem offer saw hundreds thronging the hotel on Tuesday.

By: Express Web Desk

Hyderabad | Updated: March 14, 2024 09:32 AM IST

2 min read

The clashes happened at Aazebo hotel in Hyderabad. (Photos: ANI)

A Hyderabad restaurant’s promotional offer to kickstart the month of Ramzan on Tuesday led to stampede-like scenes and the use of baton-charge by the police. The hotel, Aazebo, had offered to distribute free haleem, a Ramzan delicacy famous in Hyderabad, to customers and this led to hundreds of people thronging the hotel on Tuesday evening, causing a traffic block and chaos at the restaurant.

Visuals of huge crowds outside the hotel and police wielding lathis have gone viral on social media. With the hotel management failing to handle the crowd and the situation getting out of hand, the hotel staff stopped serving haleem. The Malakpet police had to intervene to disperse the crowd. The police later booked a case against the hotel management.

According to the police, the hotel management posted promotional advertisements on social media about the distribution of free haleem at their restaurant in Moosarambagh between 7 pm and 8 pm on Tuesday. “They did not take permission or inform the police and caused a heavy traffic jam. We have booked a case against the management for causing public nuisance and obstructing traffic,” said Malakpet Police Inspector G Srinivas.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (south east zone) D Janaki denied any arrest in the case and said an investigation is on and charges will be added if required.

A first information report (FIR) was registered under sections 290 (causing public nuisance), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), and 341(wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.

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