<![CDATA[TIRUVANNAMALAI: Tension gripped the Tiruvannamalai collectorate campus, when three youngsters tried to attack the collector K S Kandasamy, when he was walking towards his camp office on Friday afternoon. The three men — Santhosh, 27, of Thalanur, Siva , 28, and Manikandan, 30, of Kandigai in Kancheepuram — were arrested and taken to the Triuvannamalai East Police Station for inquiry. It was a case of mistaken identity, said a senior police officer, and added that the trio, who were drunk, had picked up a quarrel with a man in a Tasmac outlet on the town outskirts. They rode around the town on a two-wheeler in search of the man, who they identified as wearing blue shirt. They spotted the collector, who was also wearing a blue shirt, walking from the collectorate to his bungalow (camp office), at 3.40pm. He was accompanied by his personal assistant. They sped in the vehicle and intercepted the collector in a bid to attack him. But, on seeing him, they started discussing among themselves saying 'this is not him'. The sentry on security duty at the collector's bungalow rushed to the spot and nabbed the three men. "The collector was not hurt in the incident. The three men mistook him for the person who had a fight with them earlier in the day," said a police officer. The collector also told that the trio was in search of some other person, added the police. Police sources said the men offered contradicting statements. The men initially said they were wandering in Tiruvannamalai for the past three days. But, later Manikandan told police that his wife was in Vilupuram and he was on his way to meet her. "We are inquiring them to find whether they were involved in any criminal activities and their reasons for staying in Tiruvannamalai," said the police official. Police have registered a case in this regard.]]>
