Pune Tourist Tied and Brutally Beaten Over Tea Dispute by Hotel Owner on Goa Highway

In a shocking incident that has left the Konkan region in disbelief, a tourist from Pune was brutally assaulted by a hotel owner and his associates over a dispute involving a cup of tea. The incident occurred on Thursday morning at around 6:00 AM near the Zarap Zero Point area on the Mumbai-Goa Highway in Zarap, Sindhudurg.

Rupesh Babhan Sapkal (33), a resident of Katraj, Pune, was traveling to Goa with his friends when they stopped at a hotel for tea. Upon discovering a fly in his tea, Sapkal requested the hotel owner, Tanveer Karamat Sheikh, to replace it. When the tea was not replaced, Sapkal refused to pay, which angered Sheikh. In a fit of rage, Sheikh, along with his associates, allegedly tied Sapkal with a rope and brutally assaulted him with sticks and blows. Sapkal’s friend, Sanjay Sudam Chavan, was also attacked during the altercation.

The situation escalated further as the accused tore Sapkal’s clothes and left him tied up on the roadside. The tourists immediately contacted the Kudal Police Station by dialing 112, prompting the police to rush to the scene. Upon arrival, they found Sapkal bound and injured. He was subsequently taken to the Kudal Police Station for further action.

Based on Sapkal’s complaint, the Kudal Police have registered a case against six individuals, including Tanveer Karamat Sheikh, Sharafat Abbas Sheikh (57), Abbas alias Sahil Sharafat Sheikh (18), Parveen Sharafat Sheikh (42), Sajmeen Sharafat Sheikh (19), and Talha Karamat Sheikh (26), all residents of Zarap Khan Mohalla, Kudal. The investigation is being conducted under the guidance of Police Inspector Rajendra Magdum, with Police Sub-Inspector Ganesh Kaharkar leading the probe.

This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of tourists in the region. Authorities are now working to ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future, and the accused face strict legal action.