Shopkeepers clashed with team of Shimla municipal corporation (SMC) at The Mall road, during an anti-encroachment drive, officials said on Wednesday.
As per the officials, a team of SMC reached the Mall road during the afternoon. During the drive, they were confronted by the shopkeepers who threatened them and used derogatory remarks against the MC team. The confrontation then took a violent turn with shopkeepers starting to push the officials. The situation was then handled by the police personnel who also safely escorted the corporation’s team. The incident was caught in the cameras and its video also went viral on social media. Following the altercation, one shopkeeper was booked by the police, while the rest of the accused are being identified.
Meanwhile, Shimla municipal commissioner Bhupinder Attri said that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible. He said that the corporation will not tolerate such behaviour in the future. “The shopkeepers have been repeatedly urged to cooperate with the corporation, but they have continued to ignore our instructions,” he said.