Dispute over 'free gravy' with Porotta turns violent in Kochi; hotelier couple assaulted

Kochi: A trivial dispute over a serving of free gravy to go with Porotta escalated into a violent brawl at a hotel in Kochi's Vypin, leaving the hotel owner and his wife injured.

The incident pertaining to the case took place on Sunday night at the hotel at the Aniyal Market in Edavanakkad. Njarackal police have registered a case against a local resident, identified as Jibi, based on the complaint filed by the couple, Zubair and Jumailath, who run the hotel. CCTV footage of the heated argument and the subsequent scuffle has since gone viral on social media.

The conflict began around 7 pm on Sunday when Jibi purchased porotta from the shop and demanded free gravy. When Jumailath, who was at the cash counter at that time, informed him that the gravy was chargeable at ₹20, an argument broke out.

"Unlike other shops where the gravy is often watery and inconsistent, we serve the same high-quality gravy that accompanies our chicken roast. For that reason, we charge ₹20. When I informed him of the price, he said he didn't want it and returned the packet; I refunded his money immediately. He then began complaining about the quality of our Porottas, claiming that the ones he bought a week ago were stale. We vehemently denied this, as we only serve freshly cooked Porottas here," Jumailath told Onmanorama.

As the dispute heated up, Zubair intervened. The verbal spat, which lasted about five minutes, quickly spiralled into physical violence.

According to the FIR, the situation turned ugly when Jibi attempted to strike Jumailath. When Zubair stepped in to block the blow, Jumailath was hit on the hand. The complaint alleges that Zubair was then dragged out of the shop and attacked; he was reportedly stabbed near the eyebrow with an object the youth was holding and beaten severely. 

"We had to seek medical treatment following the attack; my husband's eyebrow injury was severe enough to require stitches. Since it was a Sunday, we expected high sales and had prepared more food than on weekdays. Because we had to rush to the hospital, it all went to waste. The police have yet to arrest the accused," Jumailath said.

Since the police are yet to arrest the accused, Edavanakkad Aniyal Merchants Association staged a torchlight procession on Tuesday in protest against the inaction. The Vypin branch of Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association, of which Subair is an executive member, had also filed a complaint seeking the arrest of the accused.

Meanwhile, Njarackal police said that they have identified the accused but have yet to locate him. "The investigation is going on and we will soon trace him," said a police officer.