KARUR: Furore broke out at the collectorate on Monday, October 4, 2021, after a petitioner was allegedly slapped by an official following a heated exchange of words. The weekly grievance redressal meeting was suspended for almost a year due to Covid-19 and resumed on Monday.
According to sources, Muthukumar of Renganathapuram came to the collectorate to file his petition regarding land abduction. He gave the papers to a woman staff, who went through it and asked him to approach the Superintendent of Police (SP), citing civil reasons. But Muthukumar refused and insisted on meeting the Collector in-person. He ‘abused her verbally and rebuked her’ for not letting him meet the Collector, which led to a quarrel. Soon, Deputy Collector (Social Welfare Project) Shaibuddin reached the spot and inquired into the ruckus.
Muthukumar and the officials reportedly got engaged in a heated argument, following which the deputy collector allegedly slapped Muthukumar and pushed him away. Later, police personnel took him for an inquiry.
Refuting the allegations, Shaibuddin told TNIE, “The man tried to assault one of our staff and I dragged him and handed him over to the police. I did not assault him. As he brought his family members, along with him, to the collectorate, we let him go without filing a complaint against him on humanity grounds.”
Muthukumar works as an Revenue Inspector in National Highways Department in Namakkal district.