CUDDALORE: Cuddalore Municipal Commissioner P Kalimuthu was attacked by three unknown persons when he was on his morning walk here on Saturday. The motive of the attack was yet to be ascertained.
On learning about this, the employees of the Cuddalore Municipal office and Councillors held a protest in front of the Collector’s camp office, demanding the police to arrest the attackers. The 55-year-old Kalimuthu, residing in the quarters at Pudhupalayam, was attacked by the trio, which had come on a motorcycle, at Lokambal Koil street. The attackers rammed their vehicle into Kalimuthu who fell down and became unconscious.
Passersby took him to a private hospital in Cuddalore, where he is being treated for fractures on his hand and leg. Doctors said he has to undergo a surgery.
News spread about the attack and councillors of the opposition party held a protest seeking the arrest of the trio. Zonal director of municipalities Prema arrived to talk with the agitators. She told them that she had spoken to the SP and the Collector regarding the issue.
Later, Municipality workers also joined the protest and parked garbage vehicles on the middle of the road. Due to the protest, traffic on the Cuddalore-Puducherry road and Cuddalore-Panruti road was affected. Police rushed to the spot and assured that the attackers would be caught soon. Following the assurance, the protest was withdrawn. All the workers of the municipality boycotted work on Saturday. A heavy posse of police has been deployed at the municipal office. Cuddalore new town police registered an attempt-to-murder case and set up two special teams to track the attackers down.
Speaking to Express, a resident said, “The Municipal administration had become dysfunctional due to various problems among the Councillors, the vice-chairman and the chairman. Due to the fight, developmental works were affected and were not completed. The Municipal Commissioner has been working under pressure from all sides.”