Bhayandar: In what can be termed as the old saying, making a mountain out of a mole hill, a petty argument over a parking spot escalated into a full-fledged brawl during the midnight hour on Saturday at a hotel in Kashimira.

According to the police, some youth from the nearby village picked up a quarrel with the private security guards over the issue of parking their vehicles in the premises of Hotel Fountain on the Ghodbunder Road junction in Kashimira a little past midnight.

A heated exchange of words took place, followed by a volley of abuses between the locals and the hotel staff.

However, the situation took a violent turn when the arguments spilled out of control and the local youths left only to return with some 25-30 odd villagers, including women, and resorted to stone pelting at the hotel.

In retaliation, the hotel staff too hurled stones and empty glass bottles at the irate villagers. A timely intervention by the local police brought the situation under control.

However, around 10 people, including members from both the warring groups and a police personnel was seriously injured in the incident. Demanding action against the hotel owner, the villagers have alleged they were attacked by the staff and some goons who were armed with sharp weapons. “As of now we have apprehended eight villagers and 36 hotel staff,” said police.

“Since our personnel were also injured, we have slapped section 353 (deterring a public servant from conducting duties) apart from other sections of IPC for rioting and assault,” confirmed senior police inspector Vaibhav Shingare.

With assembly elections also nearing, senior police officials from the Thane Rural section reached the spot to take stock of the situation and to prevent further untoward incidents.

By Suresh Golani