Reporters's Diary: Chennai apartment rivalry goes to court with a rifle
Squabbles among apartment dwellers are common. From bickering over parking spaces on WhatsApp groups to ganging up to moral-police unmarried neighbours, rivalries are usually low-key. The rebellious kind show their displeasure by exiting the group
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CHENNAI: Recently, two factions in an apartment complex in Perambur took their rivalry to another level – with a gun. A man wielding a rifle was spotted in the apartment complex last month and was questioned by one of the residents.
The man, a security guard, claimed that he was asked to come for an interview by the apartment secretary, but a resident would have none of it and filed a complaint with the Chennai police leading to the arrest of both the gunman and the secretary.
Police sources said that rivalry between two factions in the apartment over conduct of elections and civil suits were pending in courts.
The person holding office as the secretary of the residents’ association had allegedly summoned the guard for his personal safety. It’s the contention of his rivals that the gunman was to be hired to control residents unlawfully. A city court gave bail to the gunman and the secretary recently.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the factions move the Madras High court to appoint a retired judge to conduct free and fair elections in their apartment complex. Exit polls will be in their WhatsApp group.
