Solan: Truckers refuse to pay toll tax, booked

Solan, April 11

Truck drivers created ruckus at Bagheri inter-state toll tax barrier at Nalagarh last evening where they resisted the attempt of the barrier staff to charge them toll while also assaulting the policemen who tried to intervene.

The incident has cast a shadow over the poor law and order scenario at the inter-state toll tax barrier though they are supposed to be manned effectively by the police in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha poll.

A case was registered against the truck drivers for assault to deter public servant from discharging his duty, wrongful restrain, causing hurt, rioting and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act as the barrier of the Excise Department was damaged on a complaint made by the toll tax manager of Jatindra Associates who runs the barrier, said Baddi DSP Khajana Ram. The erring truck drivers, however, managed to flee the spot.

The incident took place at 7:13 pm yesterday when the driver of a truck (HP 93-6989) started dilly-dallying for paying the toll tax and entered into an altercation with the barrier staff. He moved the truck backward following which another truck driver obstructed the road by parking his truck in the middle of the road. The drivers got down from the trucks and aggressively resisted the attempt of the staff to pay toll.

The situation went out of hand as vehicles lined up on both sides of the barrier. The erring drivers who have been identified as Avtar Singh, Vikram alias Vicky, Yashwinder and their other accomplices pushed the policemen who tried to intervene.