MUMBAI: After a scrap with staffers at a petrol pump in

over queuing up, two bike-borne men summoned around 20 of their associates and proceeded to vandalise the premises. The group also attacked seven petrol pump staffers, injuring some of them seriously. Based on CCTV footage, the Malad police arrested five persons, including a businessman. Among those yet to be nabbed is a teenager.

The incident was reported at Sachdeva HP petrol pump on SV Road, Malad. On June 3, two bike-borne men arrived at the pump and moved ahead from the wrong side. A pump staffer, Ashish Yadav, asked them to get in queue and wait for their turn. This sparked an argument and the pillion rider slapped Ashish. At this point, two older staffers, Ravishankar Pandey and Shubham Singh, came forward to broker peace. The pillion rider kicked Singh.

According to the FIR, the two started leaving the premises, even as the staffers got into a scuffle with them. The pillion rider then made a phone call and said aloud, "There has been an altercation at the petrol pump and we have been attacked. You all need to come soon and teach these people (staffers) a lesson."

Less than an hour later, a mob armed with lathis arrived at the pump. They did not say a word to anyone and went about bashing up the staff. Around a dozen men entered a glass cabin and smashed its door and tables inside. They also smashed two POS (point of sale) swiping machines and a fuel reading meter. Among the staff, Shrikant Vishwakarma suffered arm and leg fractures. Ashish, Singh and their colleagues, Kamal Mishra, Kaushal Yadav, Vikas Yadav and Dheeraj Sharma, suffered injuries to the head, back, arm, leg and face. Some of the accused were masked.

The Malad police were informed. Based on information provided by witnesses, the police registered a case of assault and rioting, among other charges. Later, the petrol pump management went through their cash counter and found that Rs 35,000 had been looted. The police then added the charge of dacoity.

Investigators went through CCTV footage from the petrol pump and located the motorcycle that two of the accused had used. Thus they managed to locate five of the accused-Zahid Shaikh, 25, Javed Sayyad, 39, Firoz Sayyad, 20, Siraj Chaudhary, 24, and Abdul Aahad Chaudhary, 21. Javed runs a plastic moulding business.

All accused were produced before the Borivli magistrate's court on Friday and have been remanded in police custody till June 10. Police said they have recovered the motorcycle and lathis used in the attack.