"Thrashed, Locked:" OYO Hotel Guests Say Assaulted Over Refund Request

Two friends staying at an OYO hotel in Bilaspur were allegedly thrashed by the staff for demanding a refund, police said.

According to the complaint lodged by Sandeep Kumar and Vikas, the incident took place on February 11 at 'Happy Stay OYO Hotel' on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway.

The duo checked in at 9 pm and there was a power cut at around 11.30 pm. When the electricity did not get restored till 1 am, Mr Kumar approached the hotel staff who told him that there will be no power till the morning, the complaint said.

"So, we demanded that our money be returned following which an argument ensued and the staff thrashed us and locked us in our room," Kumar said in the complaint.

"Later, three of the staffers -- Sonu, Monu and Rahul -- forcibly took us to a deserted spot at gunpoint and beat us again. They then left the spot after threatening to kill us if we told anyone about the incident," he said.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under sections 148 (armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 365 (kidnap), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act at the Bilaspur police station on Monday, said police.

"We have identified the accused but they are absconding... they will be arrested soon," said Rahul Dev, SHO of Bilaspur police station.