Case registered against 500 people for vandalising NH toll plaza in Kerala's Kasaragod

Kasaragod (Kerala), Jan 15 (PTI) Police have registered a case against around 500 people for allegedly vandalising a toll plaza at Arikady on the NH-66 stretch here, police said on Thursday.

According to police, the case was registered after members of an action council opposing toll collection held a protest march on Wednesday evening, disrupting operations at the toll plaza and causing traffic congestion on the national highway. The protest was held around 7 pm.

As per the FIR registered at Kumbla police station, the protest involved about 500 people, yet to be identified.

Police said toll collection at the temporary plaza began on January 12.

On the same day, a major protest led by Manjeshwar MLA A K M Ashraf was held.

The protesters, including Ashraf, were arrested and removed from the spot, police said. However, the action council is continuing the protest activities.

The action council contends that the toll plaza is located just 22 km from the next toll point at Thalapady, allegedly violating National Highways Authority of India guidelines that stipulate a minimum distance of 60 km between two toll plazas, an official said.

However, toll plaza operators said the plaza was originally planned at Chalingal, but as construction of that stretch has not been completed, a temporary toll booth was set up at Arikady.

Last year, the Kerala High Court dismissed petitions challenging the temporary toll plaza at Arikady.

The action council has filed an appeal against the High Court decision. PTI TBA TBA KH