CCTV in bar wasn’t working, say police; kin allege foul play

TWO DAYS after a 24-year-old man died after receiving an injury to the head during a New Year party in Hauz Khas Village, the man's family alleged he had been killed by someone at the venue. The police had on Sunday said the man died after smashing a beer bottle on his own head.

Deepak Tandon, who worked as an ad designer with a local newspaper in Ludhiana, allegedly received the injury at Elf Cafe & Bar on December 31 night. He had come to Delhi to celebrate New Year with his friends, Aman and Vikky. He was later taken to a hospital, where he died during treatment.

A day after the incident, a 48-second video emerged on social media, purportedly showing a shirtlesstandonbleedingfromtheheadonthestreet. Several people and some policemen are also seen in the video, urging him to sit in the police vehicle.

“My son has never been in a fight, except once in a gurdwara. Somebody must have hit him with a bottle or a sharp object. His friends were not with him when he was attacked, but they saw him surrounded by some bouncers,” alleged Deepak's father Gulshan Tandon.

Additional DCP (south) Chinmoy Biswal said there is no CCTV footage of the incident. “Some witnesses claim he hit himself with a bottle, but we are questioning people, including the bouncers. The CCTV was not working, but we have sent the digital videorecorderforforensicexamination,”saidbiswal.

He said a magisterial enquiry has been initiated and a post-mortem was conducted by a three member panel of doctors at Safdarjung Hospital. “There isa2x1cmcutonhishead.wewanttocheckifthere were internal injuries,” said Biswal.

A bar employee said, “Police are investigating the caseandwehaveprovidedalldetailsfromourend.”