Food delayed, P C George 'assaults' canteen boy

Thiruvananthapuram: Mr P.C. George has landed in trouble after a person working in the  Cafe Kudumasree canteen on the MLA hostel premises complained to the police that he was manhandled by Mr George  in the MLA hostel room on Monday. The Museum police has registered a case against the MLA and his personal assistant in this connection. The youth, identified as Manu Manoharan of Vattiyoorkavu here, who suffered minor injuries in his lips and face, was treated  at the General Hospital here.

However, Mr. George denied the allegation.  “I admit that I raised my voice against him for the delay in bringing meals. But it is untrue that I manhandled him. There might be a conspiracy behind the allegations,” said the independent MLA from  Poonjar. According to Manu, the MLA ordered meals in his room, but owing to the rush in the canteen there was a slight delay of about 20 minutes in taking food to him.  

“As I reached the room, the MLA was scolding the canteen counter staff over phone. On seeing me, he ended the phone call and abused me. I told him not to  abuse me and said that the delay was due to the rush at the canteen. But the MLA rushed towards me and slapped me on my face. One of his assistants also  assaulted me and asked if I knew to whom I was talking. A driver rushed to the spot and saved me,” he said.  Mr. George said that he had ordered meals from the canteen around 1.30 p.m. 

“Even after 2 p.m., the  meals did not come and hence I rang up the canteen staff as I was very hungry. By that time, the youth came with the meals. Naturally, I raised my voice at him, but did not manhandle him. It seems he did not like my addressing him as 'you'. He even brought four meals, instead of one. Hence I asked him to take them  away,” he said.   The Museum police recorded the statement of Manu and arraigned Mr. George and his personal assistant Sunny under charges of assault.   Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan said that he had received a complaint from Mr. George against the canteen services and that it would be looked into. He had not   received any complaints regarding the manhandling of the canteen staff member, he added.