Mob torches banquet hall in Delhi, Metro services hit

Angry at the alleged police inaction over the murder of a villager, a mob set fire to a banquet hall under the Karkardooma Metro station in east Delhi, leading to disruption in Delhi Metro services for two hours, police said.

"Around 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire has been doused," said a fire service official.

"The incident occurred around 3.30pm when a group of people appeared at the Metro station and started pelting stones and set the Red Carpet banquet hall on fire," said a police official.

"Metro services on the Yamuna Bank-Vaishali section were suspended for two hours till 6.20 p.m.," a Delhi Metro official told IANS.

"Trains are not stopping at the Karkardooma station for security measures," he added.

The station was re-opened at 8.40pm.

Earlier, police said that the attacking mob came from a village in Karkardooma where a man was murdered Friday.

The mob targetted the banquet hall after the body of Rakesh Kumar was found in it, police added.

"His body was found in the Red Carpet banquet hall around 2.15am Saturday," said a police official.