Raha toll plaza scuffle: Three staff members arrested for thrashing travelers over toll receipt

Assam DGP who took cognizance of the incident directed the Nagaon Police to take action against the toll plaza staff for attacking toll users who asked receipt.

Raha (Assam): Three staff members of Raha toll plaza were arrested on Wednesday after they physically assaulted a trio that asked for a toll tax receipt. Based on the victims complaint, an FIR has been registered by the Nagaon police. After investigation, the police have arrested three employees of the Raha toll gate.

The arrested employees were identified as Bipul Bordoloi, Shankar Kumar, and Jayanta Gogoi. According to official sources, three people identified as Farooq Ahmed, Mustafa Ahmed, and Raihan Ahmed of Hojai, Nagaon were thrashed by the staff members of Raha toll plaza on Tuesday night.

A scuffle broke out between the road users and the toll booth employees after the former insisted for a toll tax receipt while having paid the toll fee of Rs 220. The toll plaza employees refused to issue any receipt. What started as an altercation, culminated with the victims being brutally thrashed by the toll plaza employees.

The victims were taken to a hospital for treatment and later filed a complaint with the Nagaon Police, after which the toll plaza employees were arrested. The video of the attack had trickled out and have caused a huge backlash over the behaviour of the toll plaza employees.

The Director General of Police, GP Singh also took cognizance of the incident and instructed the police officials to take the necessary steps in this matter and arrest the accused. Singh tweeted, "Reference incident of assault at Raha toll gate - SP @nagaonpolice has been instructed to take lawful action. @assampolice (sic)."

The Raha toll plaza was opened by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on April 16, 2015. Fearing that light commercial vehicles would have to pay Rs 300 to Rs 500 per trip, the locals and political parties opposed its opening and the toll gate was closed within two days. After being shut for years, the toll gate was reopened in 2018 only to be closed again. Later in 2020, the Raha toll gate was reopened.