Nagpur restaurateur alleges builder threatened him with pistol, then cut water supply to eatery

Nagpur: A hotelier in Sitabuldi has alleged that a builder first threatened to kill him at pistol point and has now cut the water supply to his restaurant. Although a complaint about the threat was filed at the Police Commissioner's office about a year ago, no firm action has been taken against the builder. The hotelier's family says it is living in fear.

According to the complainant, Ravi Hemrajani, a resident of Jaripatka, he runs the Grand Restaurant and Bar near Glocal Mall at Variety Square. Under a redevelopment policy, he was allotted space at the back of the mall. He alleges that for the past three years, Anup Khandelwal, the builder of Glocal Mall, has been harassing and threatening him continuously. In his complaint, Hemrajani says the builder threatened to shoot him at pistol point. On November 20, 2025, Hemrajani's 80-year-old mother, Ishwaribai, filed a complaint at the Police Commissioner's office. No firm police action followed. Over the past year, he has gone to the Police Commissioner's office and the Sitabuldi police station 12 to 15 times, and each time came away disappointed.

The latest dispute began over a maintenance charge. According to Hemrajani, the builder cut the water supply to his restaurant on November 12. There was no drinking water for staff or customers. That evening, Hemrajani went with his daughter, carrying water from home in two containers, to the restaurant. A bouncer posted there threatened him and his daughter and stopped them from taking the containers inside.

Feeling helpless, Hemrajani called the police helpline 112. Sitabuldi police came to the spot and took him to the police station. Hemrajani alleges that when he tried to register his complaint, police advised him to settle the matter by mutual agreement outside the station. He also says he got no satisfactory reply on the complaint about the threat to shoot him, filed a year ago. Distressed by the police response, he went to the Police Commissioner's office again on November 13 and filed a complaint.

The most serious question in the case concerns the alleged threat with a pistol. Hemrajani says police have not told him whether builder Anup Khandelwal holds a licence for the weapon.

Sitabuldi police say both sides have been advised to settle the dispute among themselves, and that they will take further action if it is not resolved. When contacted, Khandelwal said he was on leave and was not aware of the matter.