A motorist identified as Muthukumar, a resident of Ganapathi Nagar, Tirumangalam, near here, was allegedly attacked by three workers near the toll plaza on the Madurai-Kappalur-Tirumangalam four-lane highway.
Madurai district police said on Wednesday that when Muthukumar, who was on his four-wheeler, explained to the staff that he was a resident of Tirumangalam and that he need not pay toll fee (as local vehicles were exempted), the workers refused to allow his vehicle.
A wordy altercation resulted in the staff damaging his car with clubs, he alleged in a complaint. As the news spread, workers from Muthukumar’s rice mill arrived at the toll gate.
As the police control room was alerted, a team, led by Inspector Ramasami from Tirumangalam Town station, arrived at the scene. After an hour-long talks, the police detained three workers and Muthukumar was admitted to a private hospital. Meanwhile, the private toll booth official, in a counter complaint, stated that vehicles bearing registration TN 58 and TN 59 were exempted from paying the toll. However, many residents in Tirumangalam had TN 72 and other districts’ registration. While Tamil speaking staff at the toll understood or identified the local public, it was not the case with those from North India.
Most of the times, wordy altercation ended in clash and tension, frequent users of the highway complained.
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which had opposed the toll collection in the past and suggested shifting of the toll plaza beyond Tirumangalam, has threatened to stage a demonstration as the authorities had failed to sort out the issue.
