NewsKarnataka-Bantwal
Bantwal : Employees of the Brahmarakootlu Toll Plaza on NH 75, along with members of the general public went on a flash protest and staged a highway block agitation on Saturday April 19 condemning the repeated assaults on the Toll Plaza employees. The protest disrupted traffic on the Highway for over an hour as also collection of toll in the toll gate. The agitators withdrew the protest later on after police assured to arrest the culprits within the two day deadline set by the protestors.
The incident: It is learnt, a toll plaza employee named Satyaraj was attacked during the wee hours of Saturday April 19 by three masked men, just as he stepped on to the service road on his way to the lavatory. But the assailants had fled in a vehicle no sooner other workers rushed to the spot on hearing Satyaraj’s screams. Satyaraj who has sustained serious head injuries is presently undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Mangalore.
The fourth assault : Saturday’s assault is said to be the fourth assault on Toll Plaza employees in the recent past and the second on Satyaraj. Employees allege they are attacked over trivial reason.
An earlier attack had taken place late night on April 15. In this case the identity of the accused was clear in the CC TV footage of the toll plaza. The workers say the CCTV clipping has also been provided to the police while lodging the complaint and three persons named Hassainar, Siddique and Nauri were named accused. The employees allege the police were shielding the accused. It is learnt, Hassainar is also facing several charges and the police were reportedly hesitating to arrest him owing to political influence.
Several locals including Purusha N Salian, Charan Jumadi Gudde, Praveen Thumbay, Mahesh, Shashidhar, Ramanatha and BJP and Hindu organisation members took part in the protest.
Rs 2.5 lakh loss per day : Speaking to this correspondent, Gopalkrishna Melanta, contractor of the Toll Plaza while condemning the assault urged for stern action against the assailants. He said security need to be provided to the toll plaza workers some of whom are from Belgaum and added toll collection has been stopped until the arrest of the assailants as per the request of the locals. This has led to a loss of Rs 2.5 lakh per day, he said.
Meanwhile, it is learnt, the gun provided to the toll plaza staff for security purposes during night duty had been deposited in the local police station owing to the election code of conduct. In the wake of the April 15 attack, the toll plaza authorities had appealed to the SP and DC to give back the gun and the administration had assured to do so on April 19. But a staff has been attacked even before that.
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