2 hurt as CRPF men attack auto centre owner

Tuesday, August 26 1997

2 hurt as CRPF men attack auto centre owner

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, Aug 25: Half a dozen personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) created a ruckus at an automobile servicing centre near Tractor Company Square, MIDC, on Sunday afternoon, in a reported attempt to settle scores over previous enmity with the owner of the centre.

Two persons including the shop owner sustained injuries when CRPF personnel reportedly attacked them with iron rods. In retaliation, shop owners from adjoining areas pelted stones on the CRPF vehicles in which the jawans had arrived. A few CRPF jawans are reported to have received injuries and two vehicles damaged in the stone-pelting, it is learnt.

``It is an unfortunate incident and we are taking the matter very seriously,'' I S Tiwana, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of CRPF, told The Indian Express. He said that he was making an inquiry into the matter before action is taken against the erring CRPF personnel.

The shopkeepers from the Tractor Company Square kept their shops closed in protest of the incident and have demanded strict action against the culprits.

The incident reportedly occurred out of previous animosity between the servicing centre owner Narendra Kathalkar and the CRPF personnel. According to reports, last night CRPF personnel had come to the shop and filled air in the tyres of their vehicle.

As they were leaving reportedly without paying for the use of air compressor, Kathalkar demanded money from them. The CRPF men took this an insult and reportedly asked him how dared he demand money from police.

However, the matter was settled after one of the personnel paid money. But some of the CRPF men are said to have threatened Kathalkar of dire consequences.

Today morning, the CRPF men arrived at the shop along with two water tankers. Parking the vehicles in front of the shop, some of them allegedly consumed liquor from the nearby shop. Later, they took out iron rods and thrashed Kathalkar. One of the workers at the centre, whose identity is not yet known, was also beaten up when he tried to intervene. Shopkeepers and passersby rushed to the spot and pelted stones on the CRPF.