The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Chennai hotel owner fatally attacked, search on for union leader

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Chennai hotel owner fatally attacked, search on for union leader

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, FEB. 9. The managing director of Palmgrove Hotel at Nungambakkam here, Manickaraj Ballal, died today after he was attacked by a hotel employee on Tuesday morning.

The Teynampet police have registered a case of murder. A search is on for Mayandi, leader of the hotel employees' union.

According to the police, around 6.30 a.m., Mr. Ballal was inspecting the kitchen when Mayandi suddenly attacked him with a knife.

Mr. Ballal, injured in the shoulder and right thumb, was taken to a private hospital on Greams Road. A plastic surgery was performed and he was all right after the operation, the police said. But the end came around 3.15 a.m. today.

Dispute over demand

The police said that at a recent meeting with the union, Mr. Ballal agreed to revise the employees' salaries, done once in four years. Mayandi also demanded that a section of employees, engaged temporarily, be made permanent staff. But Mr. Ballal refused to concede this demand.

According to the police, Mayandi's disappointment could have led to his attacking Mr. Ballal. There were no previous complaints against him.

A team of forensic medical officers in the Government General hospital conducted an autopsy after which the body was handed over to the relatives.

Soon after the attack, the Teynampet police registered a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and it was altered to 302 (murder).

Mr. Ballal hailed from Moodbidri near Udupi in Karnataka, where his family members were traditional landowners. He owned another hotel at Egmore in Chennai and Hotel Palmgrove in Bangalore. The family also ran the Ballal Motor service in Karnataka.

A spokesman for the hotel management noted that during the recent meeting with the union it was agreed that the number of staff members would be maintained at 180. This decision was ratified at the union general body meeting, in which management representatives also participated.

However, there was a dispute between the two sides over the demand for regularising the services of some temporary staff members.

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