Heavy police force deployed at toll while farmers continue to stage dharna

Farmers stage dharna at Rohad toll plaza in Jhajjar district. Tribune photo

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, April 15

The protesting farmers continued to stage dharna at the Aasoda toll plaza on the KMP Expressway for the second day on Thursday in order to foil any attempt made by the administration to restart the plaza while the police have booked 125 farmers in connection with the closure of the toll plaza yesterday.

In the police complaint lodged by Prem Chand, Senior Manager (KMP expressway project), the farmers have been accused of manhandling the toll plaza employees and threatening them of dire consequence.

The complaint also alleged that the protesters also disconnected the wires of toll booths.

A case under section 109 (abetment), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharging duty), 188 (disobedience to the orders), 427 (mischief causing damage), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 283 (danger or obstruction in public way) has been registered against Rakesh of Jind, Vikas of Hisar, Suman Hooda of Gurugram, Narendra Ahlawat of Gochhi (Jhajjar), Jasvir Bhatti and Ballu Mandothi along with 125 others.

The administration had reactivated the Aasoda toll plaza on Tuesday in the presence of heavy police force.

Next day, the farmers forced the toll employees not to charge the toll from commuters and ensured free passage to the commuters.  

Meanwhile, BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said the police action was nothing except a scare tactic but they were not afraid of it and would ensure closure of the toll plazas across the state.

“The police case will not affect our spirit in any manner as we are fighting a battle for a noble cause. Today too, we staged dharna at Aasoda toll plaza as a large number of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed there with an intention to reactivate the toll but we will not let the administration to do so,” said Suman.

Jasbir Singh, SHO, Aasoda police station, said the case would be probed before arresting the accused.