JOIN USA roadside vendor drove IT major Intel nuts for over three months before being evicted by the police last Monday.
Manjula sold cigarettes, gutka, tea, coffee and snacks on a pushcart near a makeshift shed right outside the exit gate of the Intel campus in Devarabeesanahalli, Southeast Bengaluru. The shop attracted many cabbies, auto-rickshaw drivers, smokers, etc, creating a security problem for the company's women staff. A few employees complained to the management that customers stalked them and passed lewd comments whenever they used the exit gate.
The Intel management took up the matter with the BBMP which promptly evicted the shopkeeper as she didn't have a valid trade licence. Manjula disappeared for a few days but as soon as the matter died down, she reappeared with four to five of her associates and set up shop again. This happened at least thrice in three months.
Threatens to immolate
On February 19, when Intel guards asked Manjula and their customers to leave, she reportedly threatened them. She even ran into her shed and threatened to immolate herself by dousing herself with kerosene.
Rajiv Vijay, Intel's security manager, filed a complaint with the Marathahalli police which evicted her. Police claim she had planned to build a permanent structure at the spot. They have removed the shed and booked her under IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 447 (criminal trespass).