Brawl outside Brigades bar claims life

A group of youths celebrating the purchase of a new mobile by one of them wanted to buy beer at a bar beyond closing hours, and when the staff demanded premium for supplying the drink, the would-be revellers stabbed to death one of the bar employees and injured another, in the early hours of Thursday.

Prakash, 25, and Narendra, 24, both hailing from Hassan and employed at the Brigades Dreams, were stabbed with a knife by the group of youths. Prakash died on the spot and Narendra was rushed to the Bowring Hospital where he is recovering. Some other staff of the bar too were assaulted, According to police commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar.

Apparently, Vineeth Chowdhary, 24, Naresh Chowdhary, 25, and their friends landed at the bar at 2.30 am, three hours after the bar had downed its shutters,  to celebrate the purchase of a new mobile by Vineeth, and demanded beer. When the two bar employees quoted ` 500 per bottle for serving alcohol after the bar had closed, the youths picked up a fight, assaulting the bar staff, and stabbing Prakash and Narendra. 

Alerted by the bar staff, Ashoknagar police rushed to the scene. Additional commissioner of police (law and order) Kamal Pant and other senior officials too rushed to the scene. The case was registered and a team was formed to nab the assailants, who escaped after the incident.
Acting swiftly, the police managed to arrest Vineeth and Naresh, both hotel employees. Prakash was stabbed in his chest and other parts of his body.

Police said the employees of the bar sold alcohol beyond the closing, regularly. They would charge a heavy premium for taking the risk of evading the police patrols to cater to the needs of the late night drinkers.