Corp feud: Clerk, contractor slap each other, file complaints

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A dissent between officials of the engineering section and corporation contractors turned violent on Saturday.
A UD clerk, employed in the engineering section, filed a complaint against a contractor for allegedly assaulting him. Police have also registered a counter complaint from the contractor against the clerk on the same charge.
The incident occurred on Saturday when contractor K V Rajagopal and Anwar Hussain traded blows after disagreement over the transaction of a file. Later, they filed a complaint with the police.
"We have received complaints from both parties. We have started the investigation," said an official of the Museum police station. Contractors had staged a dharna in front of corporation office two days ago demanding action against Anwar Hussain.
"Rajagopal was just trying to get a file related to a bill. Anwar deliberately delayed it and when questioned, he hit Rajagopal. Contractors will launch a strong protest against this act,'' said city corporation contractors association president K Jayakumar.
Anwar Hussain had a different story to tell. "Rajagopal was forcing me to handover a file to him. There is no provision by which a contractor can possess the file related to a project work. I objected and he started abusing me. He tried to manhandle me," said Hussain.