Two tahsildars fight it out in taluk office

Police officers, who had to rush to the spot, said Kumaran (52), the special tahsildar of urban land tax in Velachery, had gone to meet Pallavaram tahsildar A Wilfred Kitchingh to check on the status of an application submitted by his wife’s relative for the certificate at Pallavaram taluk two years ago. 

Sources said Wilfred, 57, refuse to acknowledge the status of Kumaran and a verbal exchange of words soon turned into a fist fight, in which the latter tore the other person’s shirt. 

The drama began when Wilfred did not give a proper response to Kumaran’s query. Wilfred reportedly asked Kumaran if he was a tahsildar or a broker, seeking details of an application submitted two years back. 

This angered Kumaran who shouted back, and it ended up in a physical fight, shocking other visitors at the tahsildar office. Other staff at the taluk office rushed to the help of Wilfred and attacked Kumaran without knowing that he was also a tahsildar. The gates of the premises were closed by the staff. This led to confusion and chaos as the municipality office is also located in the same premises. 

MS Muthuswamy, St Thomas Mount Deputy Commissioner of police, as well as Tambaram RDO C Chandrasekhar rushed to the spot. Police said both tahsildars suffered injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. Chandrasekhar conducted an inquiry with the two government officials as well as other staff of the Taluk office. A report will be submitted to the Collector, the RDO said.