VIJAYAWADA: TD cadre attacked the Keesara toll plaza staff near Kanchikacharla, Krishna district. The incident occurred when buses carrying the cadre going from Cheruvukommupalem, near Nandigama, towards the Polavaram project were stopped by the staff to collect the toll. People on the bus, unwilling to pay the toll, attacked the staff and broke the glasses of the booth.
Every week, the revenue department mobilises farmers, mostly TD supporters, for visits to the Polavaram project. The Nandigama deputy tahsildar had hired two RTC buses for the visit and had tied banners featuring pictures of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and water resources minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao on them.
The deputy tahsildar tried to convince the toll plaza staff that it was an official government trip and no toll was applicable. The staff tried to get permission from their manager over the phone to allow the buses without paying the toll. Meanwhile, the TD activists got down from the buses and started arguing with the staff and attacked the toll plaza staff and broke the booth glass.
The manager of the toll plaza later gave permission to allow the buses through without paying the fee. A personnel of toll plaza told this newspaper: “Normally, we have prior information to exempt such vehicles from the toll fee. But we had no information regarding this particular trip and tried to get the permission from the manager. The impatient villagers, however, attacked us. They asked us how we could stop ruling party buses and stated that they were in power.” the staff narrated.
The toll plaza staff complained to the police and the police officials visited the plaza. Meanwhile, everything was settled with few phone calls at higher levels and there is no complaint. Kanchikacharla sub-inspector D Sandeep, told DC: “No report was filed. No case was registered. Both the parties have compromised". Nandigama tahsildar C Ramakrishna said, “I don’t know about this trip. We did not entrust anybody to arrange this visit”.
