Punalur municipality files case against jawan

Kollam: The relatives of Army man Hari Krishnan from Punalur, whose live video accusing the municipality authorities of demanding bribe for a house number turned viral, alleges that the concerned official has filed a fabricated case against him. Based on the petition, Punalur Circle Inspector has registered a case against Hari Krishnan that he had abused the assistant engineer using her caste name.

"The Assistant Engineer and Overseer with the Municipality were transferred after the video by Hari Krishnan turned viral. They are now retaliating with the false allegation that he had insulted her with the caste name," said J. Anita Kumari, Hari's mother. She also alleged that the police officers even threatened her son.

Harikrishnan, a soldier with the Indo-Tibetan border force residing at East Field estate quarters at Nedumpara in Aryankavu, had in his video alleged that the officials with the Punalur Municipality had demanded bribe for allotting house number for his newly constructed house in Thumbode.

 He had also revealed that two officers from the engineering section with the municipality had demanded Rs. 30,000 to get the issue cleared.

 The construction works were completed back in December 2016 and the family was knocking the doors of various government officers for their house number. Harikrishnan's mother Anitha Kumari had also conducted a hunger strike in front of the Punalur taluk office where she fainted due to physical uneasiness.

Harikrishnan had posted these issues on his Facebook page which was noticed by the Minister K.T. Jaleel who in turn contacted his mother and assured their demand will be fulfilled. A repeated application was submitted by her based on the intervention.

The officials who failed to allot the house number were also transferred as punishment. The authorities had earlier denied house number alleging that the building breached the limit to be kept from a road that passed in front of the building.