Bengaluru: A violent altercation broke out at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in BTM Layout, I Stage, recently when individuals representing the building owner attempted to force the occupants to vacate.
The situation escalated into a physical confrontation, resulting in a case and counter-case being filed by both parties. Many of the PG residents, including students, had their belongings thrown out, and are now seeking shelter with friends or relatives.
According to police, the building, which houses a 12-room PG, is owned by a woman who is also a former deputy mayor of the city. The property was leased to a Kerala-based businessman, who runs the PG. Tensions arose when the owner allegedly demanded more money than the agreed lease amount, a request the leaseholder refused to fulfil, insisting he would only pay the originally agreed sum.
The leaseholder sought legal recourse and secured an injunction from the court, which prohibited the owner from asking the occupants to vacate until the end of the lease period.
However, on the night of Dec 10, an advocate and another individual, claiming to be representatives of the owner, entered the PG and demanded the residents pay rent directly to them. The occupants, who had already paid the agreed rent, refused, leading to a violent clash between the two groups. The building owner subsequently locked the rooms, preventing the PG occupants from entering.
"We have registered cases for the physical altercation," said an officer. "As for the legal dispute between the leaseholder and the owner, we are awaiting the court's decision. The leaseholder may file a contempt of court case for breaching the injunction."