Congress Rajya Sabha member Kannan booked on assault charge

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member P Kannan was today booked by police for allegedly assaulting civic staff last week when they were clearing pavements of garbage and other materials as part of 'Swachh Bharat' campaign here.
Cases had been registered against Kannan, a former minister, and his followers under IPC sections 294 (using obscene acts and songs), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), a senior police officer said.
The cases were registered on the basis of complaints received from the Health Inspector of Puducherry Municipality and a few other staff that Kannan and some of his followers had assaulted them on the night of March 13.

A spokesman for the Municipality said a team of sanitary workers were engaged in removing garbage, unauthorised sign boards put up on the pavements by some business establishments when Kannan and his followers arrived at the spot and allegedly assaulted them and prevented them from carrying out the work.
Meanwhile, garbage cleaning work came to a standstill in and around Puducherry today as the sanitary workers and staff of the municipality went on a strike and held a demonstration protesting the "assault" of their colleagues.