C Silambarasan (31), a resident from Andimadam in Ariyalur district, used to sell musk melon in a load van in Tiruvaiyaru, Kumbakonam and Thanjavur areas. Since the lockdown, he obtained a vehicle permission from the Andimadam Assistant Director (Horticulture) for selling the fruit from May 10 to 24 and he has been possessing the pass with him.

Meanwhile, on May 15, after completing the sales, Silambarasan got down at Thanjavur and the driver Sankar was returning to Andimadam via Tiruvaiyaru in the vehicle. On seeing this, the Tiruvaiyaru inspector Arockiaraj stopped the vehicle and took it to the police station and asked to pay a fine of Rs 6,000 despite showing the permit.

Soon, driver Sankar contacted Silambarasan and narrated the incident and Silambarasan asked his friend Anbu to attend to it. When Anbu went to the police station, the inspector asked him to pay the amount and take back the vehicle. Subsequently, he paid Rs 6,000 and the vehicle was released, but they were given a receipt only for Rs 200.

Later, the information was passed on to Selvam Dhanavel, an office-bearer of a farmers’ association who made a Twitter complaint to Chief Minister MK Stalin and the CMO.

On seeing the Twitter complaint, officials had reportedly instructed inspector Arockiaraj to return the money to the fruit vendor. Subsequently, Rs 6,000 was credited into the account of Silambarasan on Monday. Impressed by the swift response, Selvam Dhanavel thanked the Chief Minister and the officials on Twitter.

When contacted, Silambarasan said that he received the money on Monday evening and was called for an inquiry by the Tiruvaiyaru DSP Sithiraivel on Tuesday. “The DSP inquired everything and I narrated the entire episode,” Silambarasan added.