On Camera, Indore Businessman Fires In Air During Fight Over Garbage

An Indore-based businessman fired in the air and threatened to shoot sanitation workers -- all over garbage.

Mahesh Patel, a petrol pump owner and a relative of a former BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh, now faces a police complaint filed by sanitation workers of the local civic body.

The episode, a video of which has now gone viral, took place on Saturday when sanitation workers were outside Mr Patel's home to collect garbage. An altercation broke out between Mr Patel's wife and the sanitation workers because dry and wet waste had not been segregated. The argument soon escalated and Mr Patel and his son joined in.

At one point, the businessman went inside. He was then seen on the first floor, brandishing a gun and threatening the sanitation workers. Soon, he came downstairs and pointed the gun at them. The sanitation workers then fled the scene.

The video of the incident shows Mr Patel pointing the gun at the sanitation workers as his son abuses them and threatens to bury them alive.

A police officer later reached the spot and brokered an understanding between the two sides. The matter, however, did not end there. Members of an association of drivers operating garbage vans approached police with the sanitation workers who were threatened and filed a written complaint.

Police have been accused of not taking action in the matter because the businessman is a relative of former BJP legislator Manoj Patel.

After the video circulated through social media, senior police officer Ashish Mishra assured action in the matter. "We are looking into the matter to understand what exactly happened. We are trying to contact the complainant," he said.