Tirunelveli: A doctor and his aides have been booked by Tirunelveli city police for allegedly threatening a corporation contractor with weapons while demolition work was underway on the doctor’s five-storey hospital building. The incident occurred on Monday when a 50-year-old employee of the corporation contractor, Marshal Vignesh and Co., arrived at the Hospital site in Palayamkottai to begin demolition work following orders from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. The court had ordered the demolition due to multiple violations in the building’s construction.Also Read:Demolition order: 8 storey hospital moves Madras High CourtAccording to the police, the doctor and his aides allegedly trespassed into the premises armed with weapons, verbally abused the 50-year-old employee and his co-workers, and threatened them, forcing the demolition work to be halted. After a complaint was lodged by Chinnadurai, the police registered a case against the accused.Social activist S Ferdin Rayan, who filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Hospital in 2020, said the case involves multiple serious violations. He alleged that the doctor had originally obtained permission for a three-storey commercial building but illegally constructed a five-storey structure to establish his Multi-Speciality Hospital.
He alleged that around 1,500 sq ft of public road had also been encroached upon to extend the construction. Rayan claimed that the building lacked adequate lighting and ventilation and had been constructed in a way that obstructed the free movement of fire engines.Also Read:J&K: Anantnag Doctor’s house demolished, show cause notice to Executive Officer“There were no ramps for patients either. Considering the gravity of these violations, I approached the court in 2020 seeking demolition of the structure. After a prolonged legal battle, I received a favourable order last month,” he said, reports TNIE.Meanwhile, the doctor obtained five days’ time from Tirunelveli Corporation Commissioner Dr Monika Rana to remove hospital equipment and belongings from the building. Following this, the demolition work was temporarily put on hold on Tuesday.
