Ahmedabad: A 28-year-old trader in Ahmedabad allegedly drank a phenyl-like liquid from his shop after facing mounting pressure to vacate his rented premises. A complaint has been registered with the Sarkhej police on Friday.The trader, who has been living alone in Makarba for two-and-a-half years, ran his business from a rented shop in the area. According to the complaint, the dispute began on March 10 around 8 pm, when two persons came to his shop and asked him to move tables kept outside the premises. He refused, arguing that others had tables outside too and theirs should be moved first.The situation quickly turned hostile. The two men allegedly grew aggressive, called the society chairman, and had the shop’s water supply disconnected. When the trader objected, the men hurled abuses and a scuffle broke out before locals stepped in. One of the accused allegedly threatened him before leaving: “Along with this table, I will burn you too.”The pressure did not stop there. On March 30, society office-bearers served an eviction notice to the shop owner, who passed it on to the trader. On April 1, the trader visited his shop and told his business partner about the notice. “Overwhelmed by the sustained harassment, I picked up a phenyl-like liquid from the shop and drank it,” he told police.He was rushed to Sola Civil Hospital, treated, and subsequently discharged. He then filed a complaint of criminal intimidation, verbal abuse, and voluntarily causing hurt against the two accused.
