Protest over alleged rule violations turns violent, toll plaza vandalised in Kerala’s Kasaragod

Kasaragod (Kerala): Tension gripped a village along National Highway 66 in Kasaragod district after protesters vandalised a newly opened toll plaza late on Wednesday night, following allegations of rule violations by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

According to police, the incident took place on the Kasaragod–Talapadi stretch, where the toll plaza began operations last Monday under tight police security. Local residents and members of an Action Committee have been holding an indefinite protest at the site since Tuesday, opposing the functioning of the toll gate.

Protesters claim the toll plaza is located just 22 km from the Talapadi toll gate, which they say violates prescribed distance norms. They have also cited a reported assurance by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari that toll booths would be set up with a minimum gap of 60 km.

The situation escalated around 8.30 pm when a section of the protesting crowd allegedly turned violent and attacked the toll booths. Police said glass panels were smashed and CCTV cameras damaged during the incident.

Despite the presence of a large police force, the sudden outbreak of violence caused brief traffic disruptions along the busy highway. No injuries were reported.

The vandalism occurred hours after talks convened by the district collector between NHAI officials and local MLAs failed to reach a resolution.

Kumbla police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident, officials said.

(with inputs from agencies)