CHENNAI: Police arrested a pushcart vendor for assaulting and threatening a health inspector with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) with a knife when the latter seized plastic bags used in the pushcart during a raid in the Padi area on Saturday.

The incident occurred when the government staff member Balaguru, along with his team, was checking shops in Kalaivanar Nagar to see if they were using plastic carry bags.

On finding plastic carry bags in a push cart during the inspection, Balaguru had seized them. Following this, the cart owner, Poongavanam, picked up an argument with the GCC staff.

Soon, the verbal duel escalated and Poongavanam allegedly assaulted Balaguru and some of his aides. He then took the knife from his push cart and threatened the GCC officials. After which, the team filed a complaint with the JJ Nagar Police Station.

After investigations, the police arrested the suspect, E Poongavanam, and seized the knife from him. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.