The car belonged to one of the victims, 18-year-old Harman Preet Singh, a trainee journalist in a TV channel. Singh, with his friends Jasmeet Singh (17) and Tarun Gupta (20) had gone to Balli Ka Petrol Pump around 10.30 pm to refuel his Maruti 800.

While they were getting their tank filled, a scooter came and hit the car from behind. Two youths, Amit Kumar and Jugnu, were on the scooter.

An argument ensued, following which the youths on the scooter made some phone calls. Within minutes, several cars appeared, around 20 youths spilled out and started beating up the three.

“There was a Scorpio, a Zen and a few other cars. All of the youths were drunk and hit us left and right. Somebody even took away my cellphone, gold chain and car keys in the melee,” said Harman. Tarun’s brother Tushar, who happened to be passing that way, noticed the brawl and came over to intervene. But it had no effect. One of the assailants then snatched the filling pipe, drenched the victims in petrol and was about to set them afire, when the pump attendants intervened.

“Thankfully, one of the attendants switched off the main supply quickly and only a small quantity of petrol fell on us,” added Harman.

Someone called the police and the assailants fled. The three were taken to a hospital for first aid.

The victims lodged a complaint at the Rajouri Garden police station, but no FIR has been registered so far.

Their families lodged a protest today at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, alleging that the police was deliberately not registering an FIR.

“We are investigating the matter. An FIR will be lodged only after verifying the allegations,” said said Sharad Aggarwal, DCP, West district. Search is on for some of the people who have been identified — Lovely, Prince, Pawan, Sonu and Bharat — who live in the neighbourhood.