Army officer's car set ablaze for objecting to loud music at hotel in UP; 5 arrested

PTI

Lucknow, January 9

The car of an Army Major was allegedly set ablaze by a group of men after he objected to playing of loud music at a hotel in Vishal Khand area of Gomtinagar on Monday, police said.

Five people have been arrested in the case, they said, adding that efforts are on to trace the sixth accused.    

Additional DCP (East) Ali Abbas said a case was registered against two staff members of the hotel and four other men at Gomtinagar police station.

According to police, Hotel Milano Cafe is located near the residence of Major Abhijit Singh. On Sunday late night, the DJ was being played in a loud manner. On this, the Army officer asked the hotel staff to stop the music, but they refused and an argument ensued between both the sides.

Later, the music was stopped following police intervention.

In a complaint submitted to police, Singh said he returned to his house after the DJ was stopped, and went off to sleep. At around 3.30 am on Monday, he saw fire in the portico of his house, and subsequently saw his car burning. By the time he could extinguish the fire, the car was completely burnt.   

DCP Abbas said the complainant had come home on leave. 

"The Major complained that some youth broke the glass of his car and set it ablaze," he said.

Police and fire brigade immediately reached the spot, and the fire was controlled.

"Five people were arrested from a nearby hotel in Hussainganj police station area and further investigation is on," the DCP said.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party took a dig at the Yogi Adityanath government over the incident.

"The bullies burnt an Army Major's car, under the Yogi government!, in state capital Lucknow. Major had protested against loud DJ and the goons burnt his car.  Shameful! Security in the state capital under the BJP government is such that a soldier is not safe in his home. The accused should be arrested soon," the party tweeted in Hindi.