Two sons of an Andhra Pradesh MP and five of their associates were arrested on Monday for ransacking a toll plaza at Bagepalli on National Highway 7 in Chickballapur district, and attacking the staff for demanding toll. All seven were later released on station bail.
The Telugu Desam Party MP for Hindupur, Nimmala Krishnappa, himself was involved in a similar incident at the same toll plaza in May 2015, and an FIR was registered against him. His sons, Ambarish and Shirish, and their associates were travelling from Gorantla to Bengaluru on Monday morning in separate vehicles. When the toll plaza staff at Bagepalli asked them to pay the toll, they refused and tried to break the toll barrier.
The men argued that they were not obliged to pay the toll as they were sons of an MP, the police said. However, the staff told them that only MPs were entitled to the waiver, not their family members.
According to eyewitnesses, the argument escalated and the brothers started making calls. Within minutes, a few persons arrived at the spot in another vehicle. People from all three vehicles allegedly started attacking the toll cabins. They also allegedly beat up the staff with sticks, injuring Nataraj and Suresh, who were treated at a local hospital and discharged.
Following a complaint by the toll plaza staff, the Bagepalli police arrested Ambarish and Shirish and five of their associates. Sub-inspector of Police Naresh Naik told The Hindu that the MP’s sons and friends proceeded to Bengaluru after their release.
The MP’s sons also filed a counter-complaint against the toll staff, alleging that they were manhandled, following which the police arrested and later released five toll plaza staff. In March, Suresh Gowda, MLA from Tumakuru district, was caught on CCTV assaulting toll plaza staff near Kyatasandra .
