Mob destroys toll plaza after assault on local politician

A mob went on a rampage and destroyed a toll plaza at Huskur Kodi near Hoskote on the outskirts of the City on Sunday after news spread that a gram panchayat member and his son were assaulted by the staff at one of the 10 booths over payment of toll.

  The irate mob even tried to set a booth on fire, police said. Scores of people were injured as police resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation. Additional forces were stationed at the spot to thwart further violence.

The damage to the toll plaza, belonging to Lanco Hoskote Highway Limited (LHHL), is estimated at Rs 30 lakh as work stations, furniture and gadgets inside the 10 cabins were destroyed.

According to villagers, Huskur Kodi gram panchayat member Narayanswamy was travelling in a car with his family. When he arrived at the plaza, the staff asked him to pay the toll. But Narayanswamy produced his identity card to show that he was a local resident and hence, be exempted from the fee. The staff abused Narayanswamy and stopped his vehicle.

Narayanswamy and his son, Manjunath, who was at the wheel, got down from the vehicle to protest against the staff’s attitude.  The staff manhandled them and dragged them inside the office. Manjunath suffered a cut on his right hand while Narayanswamy was assaulted. The family members who rushed to their help were chased away. They went to the village and narrated the incident to the people, said the police. Within no time, hundreds of local residents arrived at the spot and attacked the plaza while the staff fled.

Additional police were sent from Nandagudi and Avalahalli as the situation went out of control and turned violent. The police used canes to disperse the mob. “The situation is under control. Police have registered a case and are analysing CCTV footage. Stern action will be taken against the guilty,” Bengaluru Rural SP B Ramesh said.

Manjunath was shifted to Manipal Hospitals while Narayanswamy was treated as an outpatient at a private hospital. Local MLA N Nagaraj and former minister Aravind Limbavali visited the spot and demanded action against the plaza staff, claiming that their irresponsible and negligent attitude triggered the violence.

“We had directed them to maintain cordial relations with the villagers after a similar incident recently. The LHHL has also neglected our pleas for installing traffic signal lights, laying humps and ensuring drainage facilities on both sides of the road,” Nagaraj said. He sought a high-level inquiry into the incident.

Nagaraj said he will urge the State government to relocate the plaza outside town municipality limits. Villagers said the staff block the road for local residents even when they produce identity cards.