(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) More than 20 Emirati youths allegedly attacked a mobile phone shop in the Satwa area and assaulted its owners and customers. The police have detained some of the suspects and are trying to identify others.
Brigadier Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the incident took place around 10pm on Sunday. The police were informed that there was a fight between four youths and workers of the shop and that the attackers used sticks and other arms.
Even though a patrol team reached the scene immediately, the cops could not successfully intervene as the number of attackers began to increase. Reinforcements were sent and the officers managed to stop the fight, but the youths ran away from the scene, he said, adding that the shop cameras had captured the incident.
The shop owner, Amer A., accompanied by his relatives and workers, went to the Dubai Police Headquarters and expressed his dissatisfaction at the police patrols' failure to intervene in time. He told Khaleej Times that the patrols who arrived on the scene initially did not take any action as the attackers beat him, his partner Nassir A., a Canadian customer, Samer M., and an Emirati customer, Mansour K.
However, Brig Al Mansouri denied this allegation and said the attackers did not use any sharp weapons. He said the police have registered a case and interrogated the shop owner, his employees and customers who sustained minor injuries during the fight.
During interrogation, some of the suspects said that they were also injured and they produced a medical report. They alleged that the shop owner had started the fight.
Colonel Ali Ghanim, Director of the Bur Dubai police station, said no weapons were used in the fight. According to eyewitnesses, the fight started between a worker of the shop and three youths. The crowd which gathered in the area to watch the fight initially created trouble for the police in doing their job, he said, adding that the attackers managed to disappear in the crowd.
He said the shop owner and workers went to the hospital after the fight though they had sustained only minor injuries.
The police will follow the procedures and interrogate both the parties, said Ali Ghanim. Though the shop owner could not identity any of the suspects, he had been insisting on arresting them. The police are carrying out investigation and will act upon its findings, the officer added. Al Ghanim said according to eyewitnesses, a dispute about a phone cover snowballed into the fight. The police patrols reached the scene immediately and after seeing the situation is out of control, they called for another patrol team. The policemen did their best to disperse the fighters.
By Amira Agarib
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