The Mangaluru police on Saturday night served notices to Democratic Youth Federation of India state president Muneer Katipalla and other activists, who have given a call for storming the toll plaza in Surathkal on the national highway 66 (Kerala-Goa) on Tuesday, October 18, and physically remove it.
The notices under Section 107 of Criminal Procedure Code were issued in light of likely a law and order problem following the call for the removal of toll plaza on Tuesday. The activists have been asked to appear before Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Anshu Kumar at 10 a.m. on October 16, and submit an undertaking of good behaviour along with a surety.
40 activists served notice
“This is a preventive action taken by the police to avert any likely law and order problem on October 18,” Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar told The Hindu. The police had to physically deliver the notices at the residences of activists as the latter refused to collect it from the police station. These notices are issued to those who are leading the agitation on October 18 and also to those who are trying to mobilise people for the event, he said.
Apart from Mr. Katipalla, notices were also served to more than 40 activists, including Prathibha Kulai, the former Councillor of Mangaluru City Corporation from Surathkal area. Police served the notice to Ms. Kulai around midnight, while Mr. Katipalla received it around 11 p.m.
No deadline for merger of toll plazas
With the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) not announcing the definite date for winding up of Surathkal toll plaza, Mr. Katipalla and persons who are part of Toll Virodhi Horata Samiti gave a call for direct action for removing the toll plaza on October 18.
The activists have been demanding the removal of the toll as it is against the norm of having more than one toll plaza for a distance of 60 km. Though the NHAI has announced merging of the Surathkal toll plaza with Hejamady toll plaza located on the same highway at a distance of about 9 km, the body has not given a definite date for the merger.
Mangaluru Sub-division Assistant Commissioner Madan Mohan and Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) on October 14, held a meeting with the activists and asked the latter to call off direct action of removing the Surathkal toll plaza on October 18. The activists refused to do so
