A 60-year-old owner of an eatery in southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar area was shot at following a heated argument with three customers on Monday over payment of bill.

Vasudeo alias Pappu, owner of Sindhi Dhaba in Lajpat Nagar 3 sustained two bullet injuries and is reported to be in a critical condition, the police said.

The incident took place between 10 and 10.30 pm when three men had come to the eatery in a Maruti Swift car with a UP registration number.

They had their dinner and tried to leave without paying the bill. When Vasudeo tried to intervene, one of them allegedly pulled out a gun and shot four rounds there, a senior police official said.

The accused fled the scene by the time police reached the spot.

The victim was then rushed to a hospital. "A case has been registered and the number of the car has been noted," the senior official added.