While Bengaluru debates the safety of women and instances of molestation, other kinds of violence slipped under the radar.
Three waiters, working in a bar and restaurant near Brigade Road in the central business district, were stabbed by drunk customers.
“There are three floors in the establishment and the place was packed on New Year’s Eve. A group of three men were sitting on the third floor. They started abusing the waiter as he got a little late in serving their drinks. The waiters told them to relax and have a drink but the three men began abusing them even more. The fight got out of hand and one of the three men pulled out a knife and stabbed three waiters,” said a police officer at the Cubbon Park Police Station.
One of the waiters, Soma, was stabbed in the chest and also had his arm sliced. Another waiter, who is also named Soma, was stabbed in the back and the third, Kumar, was sliced in the stomach.
“The customers started arguing with us and we were trying to pacify them as they were already drunk. Soon things got out of hand as one of them said he was a rowdy and he threatened us. We were telling them to calm down but they kept getting angry by the minute. One of them threw the table towards a few women who were sitting at the table next to them. When we tried to restrain them, that’s when one of them pulled out a knife and stabbed Soma in the back. He then stabbed be in the chest and sliced my arm and sliced Kumar’s stomach,” said Soma.
The three injured waiters were taken to Rajiv Gandhi hospital immediately.
In the meantime, the trio had fled the scene. "Some of the waiters from the establishment found two of them at Shule Circle and got them back to the bar. The police were informed and arrests were made," Soma added.
The arrested duo has been identified as Ajay Kumar and Diwakar, residents of Gandhi Colony, Whitefield. They have been booked under sections 507, 324 and 34 of the IPC. The person who had stabbed the waiter, however, is still at large and remains unidentified.
“All of them are safe now. Bar fights keep happening during New Year but never has it been this bad. Now waiters have to be scared of drunk customers stabbing them,” said Srinivasa, the manager of the establishment.