A village administrative officer (VAO) in Salem was attacked for complaining about gravel smuggling on Friday.
R. Vinothkumar, 32, of Pottiyampatti near Tharamangalam, is the VAO of Manathal Olapatti. On April 18, the VAO and officials from the Department of Geology and Mines, acting on a tip-off that a few persons were illegally taking gravel from a land owned by a man named Muthusamy at Thandavanur near Tholasampatti, rushed to the spot and seized a tractor and an earthmover used to smuggle the gravel.
Upon receiving a complaint from the Geology and Mines Department officials, the Tholasampatti police registered a case against G. Sithuraj, 38, of Manathal, and R. Viji of Upparapatti under Section 21(i) of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, and launched a search for the accused.
Meanwhile, on Friday, when Mr. Vinothkumar was travelling to Manthal on a bike, Mr. Sithuraj waylaid him on Tholsampatti-Manathal Road, attacked him and threatened him with a knife. He also snatched his mobile phone. The VAO fled the spot and lodged a complaint against Mr. Sithuraj at the Tholasampatti police station.
The Tholasampatti police registered a case, and are on the lookout for the accused.
