Toll booth worker thrashed to death over altercation,staff members of Mysuru-Bengaluru express Highway faces abuses and threats from uncouth commuters

Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)

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he staff members of the Mysuru-Bengaluru express highway face abuses,threats and even sustain injuries on daily basis from the uncouth commuters .

Though there is a provision for the safety of the staff and legal options and even medical care,none comes handy at the time of any eventualities,says one of the staff member.

Pavan Kumar Nayak,26,In-charge of the Sheshagiri toll plaza had injured his left hand while trying to stop a goods vehicle,who fled without paying toll fee a fortnight ago .

Since he was not been able to ride back home,he asked his junior colleague Manjunath Krishnappa, a toll operator to pick up and drop him.

Manjunath,who joined work two months ago who was the sole witness of the attack narrated his ordeal with the police stating that they had beer and ate at a highway dhaba before resting and chatting on a tankbund,a few yards away from toll plaza after Pavan’s shift.

Two men on scooter confronted them and one of them flashed a light from mobile on Manjunath’s face asking do you know who i am .

While Manjunath was trying to reason,the other man said that it was Pavan who assaulted him.Before Pavan could react the accused attacked Pavan with a club on his neck.A Hard blow rendered Pavan to collapse .

Manjunath managed to save Pavan from another attack and was kicked in the melee.The duo soon sped away on scooter.

Pavan was unconscious and scared Manjunath called Ramesh, toll operator informing him about the attack and asked him to get the ambulance immediately.

Ramesh along with his colleague Somesh reached the spot and took Pavan in their scooter to highway and put him in the company’s ambulance to rush him to BGS hospital.

Manjunath followed them in his bike and got to know that Pavan was admitted in ICU and critical.Since he was also sustained injuries.He was treated at outpatient and later came to know that Pavan Succumbed at 3 am on Sunday.

Inquiries with the staff revealed that the accused coming from Mysore were waiting behind a SUV for few minutes and got irritated .

They shouted and verbally abused Manoj who was toll operator.Pavan who was around along with other toll operators objected and had a fisticuff and beat one of the occupant of the car.

The accused threatened the toll staff with dire consequences and left the place.The police have obtained the details of the car from the CCTv cameras and efforts are on to track down the accused .