Employees of Thiruthuraipoondi Municipality in Tiruvarur district resorted to a flash strike on Monday morning demanding the arrest of a fish vendor who had attacked a sanitary inspector in the town on Sunday.

N. Venkatachalam, the sanitary inspector, sustained injuries after he was allegedly attacked by the fish vendor, V. Kalvipriyan of Thiruthuraipoondi on Sunday afternoon.

As the culprit was not arrested till Monday morning, the civic body staff struck work by suspending piped drinking water supply and cleaning of streets and other sanitary work.

According to police, the fish vendor refused to comply with the directions issued by the civic body to shift his place of business from the old bus stand and continued to sell fish at the same place for the past seven days. On Sunday, a team of officials led by the Municipal Engineer-cum-Commissioner (in-charge), Chandrasekharan, issued a warning to Kalvipriyan and directed the officials to collect a fine of ₹500 from him.

Police said, enraged on being asked to pay the fine, Kalvipriyan presumed that Mr. Venkatachalam was behind the action initiated against him and attacked him at around 2.30 p.m. on the Hospital road with a lethal weapon.

However, Mr. Venkatachalam escaped with minor injuries on his left hand and was admitted at the Government Hospital, Thiruthuraipoondi.

Subsequently, police registered a case under Section 307 of IPC against Kalvipriyan based on a compliant lodged by Mr. Chandrasekharan.

As the accused, who is said to be an office-bearer of a political party, was not arrested till Monday, the civic body staff struck work. They resumed duty after senior police officers assured them that the culprit, who is absconding, would be arrested soon.