Chennai traders surround GST inspection team, police secure release
Chennai, July 30, 2026 – A team of Goods and Services Tax (GST) officials was safely escorted by the police on Thursday night after they were surrounded by a large group of traders during an inspection in the Sowcarpet area. The incident, which lasted several hours, ended without any reported injuries.
The inspection team, led by GST Superintendent Nishanth, included Inspectors Azeez and Sushil, along with three other officers. They arrived at Mahipal Stainless, a stainless steel outlet on Mint Street, around 4 p.m. to examine business records as part of routine GST compliance checks.
According to police, about 300 members of the Steel Market Association gathered outside the shop by 7 p.m., preventing the officials from leaving. The traders objected to the manner of inspection, demanding that senior GST officials, including the Commissioner, visit the location and explain the reason for the inspection before the team could depart.
The GST team alerted the police after being unable to exit. Officers from the Elephant Gate Police Station arrived and attempted to defuse the situation through dialogue. When initial discussions did not yield a resolution, a senior police officer reached the spot around 8 p.m. and held fresh talks with representatives of the traders.
Following the intervention, the GST officials were allowed to leave and were taken to the Elephant Gate Police Station under police protection. A complaint was filed by the GST department, based on which the police registered an inquiry. At least six persons were detained for questioning in connection with the incident.
The Steel Market Association did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Officials say such inspections are standard procedure to verify that businesses are complying with tax laws, and that any concerns raised by traders are normally addressed through proper channels.
Authorities have urged traders to cooperate with lawful inspections and to raise any grievances through official mechanisms. The investigation is ongoing.
