A dyeing unit owner has been arrested for allegedly shooting at a Pollution Board environmental engineer who went to his factory to inspect discharge of untreated effluents into a river, police said.
The engineer had gone to the area last night to inspect the unit on complaints by locals of untreated effluents being discharged into the Cauvery river. The workers fled on seeing him, but the owner confronted him and demanded to know on what authority he was conducting the inspection.
He suddenly whipped out a double barrel muzzle gun and fired at the engineer, but the shot missed him and hit the jeep, police said.
His driver managed to get the engineer back to the jeep and they left the area.
The dyeing unit owner was arrested late last night and his gun seized. Cases were registered against him under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), police said.