MNC staff ‘manhandled’ at toll plaza

Three executives of a MNC were manhandled and their cab was attacked when the driver of their cab clashed with the toll collection staff at Gurgaon expressway, reports Sanjeev K Ahuja.

Three executives of a multinational insurance company, including a woman, were manhandled and their cab was attacked when the driver of their cab clashed with the toll collection staff at Delhi-Gurgaon border toll plaza at Gurgaon expressway on Thursday evening. The cab driver also was allegedly thrashed brutally by the toll collection staff.

HT Image

The expressway concessionaire company, DS Constructions, however, has denied the involvement of its staff in the brawl. The incident occurred at about 6 pm when a cab ferrying six executives of a private sector multinational insurance company tried to pass through the Delhi-border toll plaza.

“As the cab crossed the toll booth after the Smart Tag fitted on the cab displayed zero balance, the toll collection staff interrupted the cab and forced the driver to deposit the tag with them. The driver opposed their move. An altercation ensued and the toll staff started beating the driver mercilessly. The front windscreen of the cab was smashed,” said Prabhakar Kumar who owns Satguru Travel Company.

Kumar said there were six executives of the company, including a woman, when the brawl took place. He said, “As the company executives tried to protect the driver, they were also slapped by the toll collection staff. A woman was also manhandled. It was only after the police reached that the driver could be rescued.”

When contacted, an official of DSC said its staff was not involved in the brawl. “It could have been the MCD toll collection staff that has started to visit the toll plaza for the past couple of days. Our staff cannot do this to the motorists as we do not have authoritative power to stop the motorists slipping away without paying the toll,” the company official said.

The MCD toll collection agents of PKSS Company also denied their involvement in the brawl. They blamed it on the DS Construction staff.