A Corporation driver, Nawab John, who was engaged in encroachment eviction work, was allegedly roughed up by a dentist at Palanganatham on Tuesday. However, the driver withdrew the police complaint he had filed as the dentist turned out to be the son of a Corporation worker.
The incident occurred when the local body employees, along with the district officials, carried out a drive to remove encroachments from public places. Eight teams, formed by Collector Anshul Mishra, have been on the drive since Monday.
On Tuesday, the employees were removing the hoardings under the supervision of Tahsildar (South) Gangadaran, when the dentist had reportedly picked a quarrel with John as a name board put up for his clinic was taken away.
In the melee, the dentist allegedly caught the driver by his shirt and tore it off. However, the dentist told the police that he was instigated by the foul mouthing by the driver.
When the police were about to register the FIR, the father of the dentist, a Corporation conservancy worker, profusely apologised for his son’s behaviour and pleaded with the driver to give up the criminal proceedings against him.
Assistant Commissioner of Police A.Ganesan said since the driver chose to withdraw the complaint no case was registered.
In the past, a woman official of the Corporation and a market superintendent were abused by a Corporation zonal chairperson when they were on an eviction drive near Palanganatham junction.
A few years back, an Assistant Commissioner got admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital after he was roughed up by the employees of an automobile showroom when he tried to take action against the business establishment for non-payment of tax.
A Corporation official said such incidents discouraged them from carrying out the eviction drive.
