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Engineer manhandled by Minister?

Staff Reporters

BANGALORE: A 40-year-old Assistant Executive Engineer of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was on Saturday admitted to a private hospital on the HAL airport road after Minister for Housing and Muzrai V. Somanna allegedly manhandled him during an inspection of development works at Agrahara Dasarahalli.

Relatives of the engineer, Somaraju, have charged the Minister with “abusing and manhandling” him during the inspection. However, no police complaint has been filed in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Minister’s spokesperson has denied the allegation. “The Minister had only pulled up Mr. Somaraju following complaints about substandard work taken up in Agrahara Dasarahalli,” he said.

Speaking to The Hindu, Venkatesh, a relative of the engineer, said, “Mr. Somaraju was slapped, pushed around and humiliated by the Minister.”

‘Awaiting details’

When contacted, BBMP Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena said he was “awaiting details”, while Joint Commissioner (West) V.P. Ikkeri said that he was unaware of the incident.

However, Chief Engineer B.T. Ramesh, who accompanied the Minister during the inspection, said: “Mr. Somanna along with Mr. Ikkeri and other officers went on an inspection, and the Minister pulled up Mr. Somaraju for shoddy work.”

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