Tension prevailed at Nallur toll plaza near Red Hills on National Highway 16 for a few hours on Wednesday morning when a few vehicle drivers and the toll gate staff exchanged blows.
The incident happened when the latter insisted on the former paying the toll.
At 7 a.m on Wednesday, James, a van driver and a resident of Puzhal, and his employer Pannerselvam came in their van with workers to reach their place of work in Kavarapet.
The toll staff insisted James to get an entry token as the monthly pass would expire at the end of the day. He refused and picked up an argument with the staff who assaulted the van driver and a scuffle ensued, the police said. Shocked, other motorists laid a siege to the toll plaza by parking their vehicles on the road. Some of them smashed the glass panels of the counters forcing the staff to run away.
The public resorted to a flash protest on the national highway demanding action against the toll plaza staff. Commotion reigned as the vehicles queued up for a long distance blocking vehicular movement on the NH.
Tiruvallur SP R.Ponni rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after holding talks with the agitators. Only after getting an assurance from the officials, the crowd dispersed.
