MNS corporator held for attacking contractor

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena corporator Nitin Nikam was on Monday arrested for assaulting a 65-year-old private contractor over alleged 'delay' in repairing a damaged water pipeline in Kalyan, police said.

The footage of the assault, which was aired by news channels on Saturday, showed Nikam repeatedly slapping D G Patil over water shortage in Ganeshwadi locality in full public view.

Nikam, who was booked under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke

breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code, was produced before a Kalyan court which granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 7,000, police said.

Patil is a private contractor in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in neighbouring Thane district. Nikam had summoned Patil following complaints about delays in water pipeline repair work in the area that caused water scarcity.