A 23-year-old girl, who runs a tea shop, was brutally assaulted by a group of people allegedly over rivalry with a confectionary shop owner in her neighborhood in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
She has received critical injuries on her head and is undergoing treatment at the district government hospital.
Friends of Arshi, the victim, said that she was attacked as she attracted more customers than the confectionary shop, which didn't go down well with the rival shop owner.
"She started the tea shop around two months ago. She rapidly upgraded her shop as per customers' needs and paid special attention to cleanliness, and the number of customers at her shop started increasing," one of her friends said.
He said that the owner of the rival shop started to harass her and demanded money for their losses.
The rival party, however, claimed that Arshi's shop was a center of illicit activities.
Sachin Sirohi, president of Hindu Jagran Manch's Meerut unit, alleged that the accused family had lodged complaints regarding illicit activities being carried out at Arshi's shop but police did not take any action.
"Miscreants visit her shop. There are sofas and beds in her shop. In this regard, the family informed the police including the Station House Officer but no action was taken," Sirohi said, demanding that the SHO should be suspended.
Interestingly, police registered an FIR against Arshi on charges of assault and against three of her friends for an alleged attempt to rape by the women of the rival side.
After the incident became news, the Meerut Police said that a case of attempt to murder has been registered at Dehli Gate Police Station against the attackers.
