Thirty-five-year-old Budnarine Pertab of 19 Strathaven, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital suffering a broken leg and other injuries, after an alleged assault by the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant at Cane Grove, Mahaica.

Pertab told the Guyana Chronicle that on Sunday he was drinking beers with friends at the restaurant and around 18:30 h decided that it was time to go home. He recalled he had earlier deposited $2,000 with the proprietor.

Pertab said that when he called upon the proprietor for his $700 change, as his bill was just $1,300, the man shouted at him, ordering him to wait, or leave the restaurant. Pertab responded by asking him if that was the manner in which he was treating a customer.

At this, Pertab alleges that the proprietor threw a beer bottle at him. Pertab retaliated, but the bottle missed the Chinese man.

The man ran after Pertab, armed with a piece of greenheart with which he lashed his customer, inflicting a compound fracture below the right knee.

Pertab claims that the incident was witnessed by two policemen from the nearby Cane Grove police Station.