Cuttack: The Cuttack district administration has sealed the Mundali toll gate for an indefinite period after the assault on a group of tourists from Chhattisgarh by the staff of the toll plaza.
Four employees of the toll plaza were arrested in connection with the offence. According to Athagarh police, the accused toll gate staff have been booked under Sections 147, 148, 341, 384, 323, 324, 325, 307, 427, 506, 354 (B) and 149 of the IPC.
According to reports, the tourists travelled up to Rameswaram and were returning to Chhattisgarh via Odisha in two buses. Their last stop was Nandan Kanan after which the group was returning home. Minutes after leaving Nandan Kanan on Tuesday, the two buses crossed Mahanadi and halted at the toll gate in Mundali where they were asked to pay Rs 500 as a toll fee for each of the two buses.
On demanding an explanation for the amount, the toll gate employees roughed up the bus owner and then started beating him. Later, a group of goons joined them and started assaulting the bus staff and passengers including women.
At least 10 tourists, including two women, were injured when the employees of the toll gate attacked them with bamboo sticks and plastic pipes.
