Hearing-and-speech-impaired US tourist attacked in Chennai

, March 20: Three employees of a private internet browsing centre in Periamet were arrested on Wednesday on charges of attacking a hearing and speech impaired American

, said a TOI report.

The tourist was injured and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city. the man, Kevin P Bernard, is from Seattle. He was attacked after he refused to pay an unreasonable amount demanded by the internet cafe employee.

35-year-old Bernard arrived in the country a few weeks ago and reached Chennai on Tuesday afternoon. He was to leave for Singapore on Wednesday.

Bernard went to the Golden Cafe internet browsing centre in Periamet to send a fax message and e-mail to a contact in the city state on Tuesday.Trouble began when G Yuvaraj, who was in charge at the cafe, demanded 38 rupees. The bill from the fax machine showed 9. Although Bernard tried to explain in sign language, the cafe employee refused to budge. Bernard wrote down his explanation on a piece of paper and handed it over, the arguement continued.

As arguement heated up, three men pushed Bernard, who hit the edge of a wooden table and suffered a cut to the forehead. A few shopkeepers in the area who witnessed the incident immediately informed police. A team of the Periamet police soon arrived and sent the injured Bernard to a corporate hospital.

Oneindia News