The police personnel, present on the spot, did not anticipate the attack, but they managed to apprehend the accused, they said.
The victim, Jairam (31), received several stitches for the injury to his head and is out of danger. On his complaint, a case of causing hurt and using dangerous weapons was registered at Malviya Nagar police station, a police official said.
However, it was followed by a counter-FIR in which a relative of the rival shopkeeper alleged that he was restrained and thrashed, the official said, adding the allegations are being investigated.
On April 9, when a quarrel between them threatened to turn ugly, Ramesh Gupta, owner of one of the shops made a PCR call. Three policemen, on patrol duty in the area, were sent to handle the situation, the police official said.
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It was in the presence of police that the situation escalated and Ramesh was allegedly assaulted. He alleged that when his helper, Jairam, rushed to save him, the owner of the other shop attacked his servant with a hatchet used for cutting coconuts, the official said.
No arrests have been made in the case so far, police said.