20 corporation staff booked for beating residents of a house

MADURAI: City police on Thursday booked 20 corporation employees, including an assistant engineer, for trespassing into a house and beating the residents, during a crackdown on illegal use of electric motors to draw water from piped water connection.

Police have booked the employees based on a complaint filed by the family in counter to the complaint registered by the civic employees. Earlier, the family members were booked under various charges, including deterring a public servant from discharging his duty.

Koodalpudur police which registered a case said that a team of corporation employees conducted a surprise check in Chokkalinga Nagar to trace illegal tapping of drinking water. The team had specific information that many households in the locality were using electric motors which is banned by the civic body.

Accordingly, the team entered the residence of Sadhik Rahman on 5th Street in Chokkalinga Nagar. They found an electric motor in the house and tried to remove it, but were stopped by the residents. A verbal duel ensued between the officials and the residents of the house. It soon turned into a scuffle.

While the family members alleged that the corporation employees trespassed into the house and beat them, the officials stated that the residents abused and attacked them. A neighbour of Sadhik Rahman was also involved in the incident, according to the complaint filed by area assistant engineer V Maniyan.