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MNS activists vandalise Navi Mumbai toll, attack staff

15 MNS workers reached the Kharghar toll plaza and attacked on-duty staff

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists on Tuesday vandalised Kharghar toll plaza in Navi Mumbai as the party had opposed its opening. The state public works department (PWD) had given clearance to open the toll plaza in January this year. It was the second such attack by the party on the Kharghar toll plaza.

About 15 MNS workers reached the toll plaza at around 5.15 pm in 4 cars and attacked on-duty Sion Panvel Tollways Private Limited (SPTPL) staff without any provocation. The miscreants physically manhandled and abused the toll staffers, and assaulted one of them by hitting a bottle on his head.

“The MNS vandalised the toll plaza and attacked our staff. Bottles were thrown at the staff,” said Sharjil Shaikh, who represents SPTPL.

The company has handed over CCTV footage to police officials for investigation. The company has lodged an FIR with the Kharghar police and have identified some of the miscreants as Mahesh Jadhav, Jagdish Khandekar, party taluka secretary Milind Khade, Sudhir Navle, and Mahesh Songe. However, the MNS did not comment on the issue.

Maharashtra co-operatives minister Chandrakant Patil had justified the state government’s move to allow toll collection at Kharghar. “The decision has been taken as per the directives of the Bombay high court. The government is also considering if small cars can be exempted from the toll,” Mr Patil had said. The government has also exempted Kharghar and Kamothe locals from paying toll, and, therefore vehicles with registration numbers MH 46 are not being asked to pay the toll tax.

Senior PI Pandharinath Patil of the Kharghar police station said, “We have received the complaint and a copy of the CCTV footage from SPTPL persons and an FIR will be registered by the investigating officer after conducting a preliminary investigation.”

( Source : dc correspondent )
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