Hotel manager killed in scuffle with police on New Year’s Eve

In a tragic incident during New Year’s Eve celebrations, Rajendra Kumar, general manager of Hotel Nature Valley in Banikhet, Dalhousie subdivision, lost his life following a scuffle between hotel staff and two police constables.

The altercation, which turned violent, left another hotel employee, Sachin Kumar, severely injured. The accused police personnel, constables Anoop Kumar and Amit Kumar, have been arrested and suspended from duty. They are facing charges of assault and murder.

The incident occurred when the constables, posted at Tissa police station but temporarily deployed in Dalhousie for the New Year festivities, visited the hotel in a private vehicle late at night. Allegedly, the constables consumed food and alcohol with the hotel staff.

A heated argument broke out between the officers and front desk employee Sachin Kumar. When the fight escalated, Rajendra Kumar intervened in an attempt to diffuse the situation. However, the scuffle intensified, and during the chaos, Rajendra, Sachin and one of the constables fell from a height onto the hotel’s parking area.

The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Banikhet, where Rajendra Kumar, a resident of Dalhousie Cantonment, succumbed to his injuries. Sachin Kumar, from Bagdhar village, was referred to a hospital in Pathankot for further treatment. The two constables fled the scene but were later arrested by Dalhousie police.

Villagers block highway, demand strict action

News of Rajendra Kumar’s death triggered protests in Banikhet. Agitated villagers blocked the highway for hours, demanding strict action against the accused and the transfer of the Banikhet police post staff, who they alleged were shielding the culprits.

Chamba Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Yadav, Additional SP Shivani Mehla, and Dalhousie DSP Hemant Thakur visited the scene to pacify the protesters. A forensic team from Nurpur was also summoned and CCTV footage from the hotel is being reviewed.

SP Abhishek Yadav said a thorough investigation is underway to determine the exact sequence of events. Initial findings suggest that the accused had consumed alcohol prior to the altercation. It is also being examined whether they were invited to the hotel or arrived uninvited.