8-Year-Old Awaits Father's Return After Deadly Assault By Delhi Club Bouncers

An eight-year-old boy, still waiting for his father to return home, asked his mother why a tent had been erected outside their house. His mother, inconsolable after losing her husband in an alleged assault by nightclub bouncers, had no answer for him.

"He hugs me and cries, asking for his father. What do I tell him now? He keeps asking why there is a tent outside our house. I just cried and told him it was not ours," Pooja, wife of 29-year-old Daljeet, said, breaking down as she recounted the family's loss.

Daljeet, a driver, died after allegedly being brutally assaulted by bouncers and the manager of a nightclub in north Delhi following a dispute over beer spilling on the manager's wife, police said.

Five people, including the club manager, his wife and three bouncers have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place late Saturday at Tor House nightclub near Ashok Park Metro station, under the Sarai Rohilla police station area.

Daljeet, a resident of Raghuvir Nagar, is survived by his wife, their eight-year-old son and his father. Daljeet was the sole breadwinner of his house.

Recounting the last hours of her husband's life, Pooja said she repeatedly tried calling him but his phone was unreachable.

"I was about to leave the house to look for him when I went downstairs and saw him lying on the ground, seriously injured. I helped him get upstairs, changed his clothes and let him sleep. When I checked on him in the morning, he was unconscious," she said.

She alleged that her husband had been brutally beaten using sticks and blows aimed at his head and jaw.

"He was beaten mercilessly and drowned in water repeatedly. They hit him on his head and jaw. They used sticks and blows to kill him. He died at home," she alleged.

Pooja said the family was now struggling to explain the tragedy to their young son.

"When we were taking him to the hospital, my son made me promise that I would bring his father home safely. I told him his father was in the hospital. What do I tell him now?" she said, tears rolling down her face.

She further said that her son is hugging her and crying. "My son keeps asking for his father. I want justice. I have lost my husband because of these people. These bouncers are murderers, and strict action must be taken against them," she said.

According to police, Daljeet had gone to the nightclub with five to six friends for a party when some liquid spilled on a woman, triggering a verbal altercation with the club manager. Bouncers were allegedly called in, and the assault followed.

Daljeet and his friends allegedly apologised and pleaded with the accused to stop, but the attack continued, with more bouncers and waiters joining in. The group was allegedly assaulted with sticks and glass bottles.

His friends alleged that when they tried to escape, the bouncers dragged them back inside and assaulted them again. They also claimed water was poured on the group during the assault, with Daljeet's face covered. He suffered severe injuries, including a fractured jaw.

His friends, including Nishu and Pawan, eventually managed to bring him to his residence, where he collapsed near the entrance. He was taken to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Sunny, one of Daljeet's friends who sustained a minor head injury, said the assault was captured on CCTV footage, which he described as horrific. The friends also alleged that one of the accused brandished a firearm and that cash and two mobile phones were taken from the group.

Police have seized the nightclub's digital video recorder and are examining the footage to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify others involved. They are also probing allegations that a police response vehicle arrived outside the club after a control-room call but left without conducting an inquiry.

Police are examining whether the nightclub had the requisite permissions to operate late at night. Records have been sought from the Excise Department and the Licensing Branch. Further investigation is underway. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)