'It wasn't about fish': Angamaly restaurant worker offers new version of assault

KOCHI: A new claim has emerged in the Angamaly restaurant assault case, with a hotel employee denying reports that a chef was attacked over an argument about unsalted fried fish.

Muhammad Ubais, a native of Malappuram, said the widely circulated account of the incident was "fabricated" and insisted that the confrontation at the Meenvilasam restaurant on Sunday night was triggered after he questioned the chef for allegedly harassing a female colleague.
Ubais also dismissed reports identifying him as the owner of the restaurant, clarifying that he is only an employee.

According to Ubais, the dispute began after the woman complained that chef Riyas, a native of Kollam, had behaved inappropriately towards her. When he confronted the chef over the allegation, the argument escalated into a physical altercation in which both men were injured. They later sought treatment at a hospital.

Seeking to support his version of events, Ubais has released CCTV footage of the incident along with audio clips in which the woman is heard describing her complaint. He said both he and the employee would be filing formal complaints with the police.