Two toll plaza employees attacked in tiff over Rs 5

Police said that the men had initially also refused to pay the toll, citing that they were from a nearby village. Residents of certain villages are exempted from paying toll if they produce valid documents.

Two employees of Kherki Daula toll plaza were injured after being attacked by a group of men allegedly during a tiff over Rs 5 on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway on Wednesday.

The injured — the toll plaza manager and a special duty officer — were rushed to a private hospital for treatment, where their condition is stated to be critical. (Representative image)

Police said that the men had initially also refused to pay the toll, citing that they were from a nearby village. Residents of certain villages are exempted from paying toll if they produce valid documents.

Two people have been rounded up while two more are at large.

The injured — the toll plaza manager and a special duty officer — were rushed to a private hospital for treatment, where their condition is stated to be critical.

According to the police, the incident took place around 9.15 pm when a Swift car, in which four men were seated, entered lane 14 and one of them approached the counter to pay for the toll. Police said while returning the change, a Rs 5 coin fell on the ground.

Sunil Kumar, station house officer, (SHO), Kherki Daula police station, said that the toll plaza manager asked the men in the car to move along quickly as cars were starting to pile up behind him.

“The man asked the toll staffers to pick up the coin and started arguing with the manager. The argument escalated and he pulled out a knife and attacked the manager. Another staffer tried to intervene, but he was also assaulted by the suspects. As they were about to escape, a police team, stationed near the toll plaza, rounded up two of the suspects. The others managed to flee,” said SHO Kumar.

The two accused men, Nikhil and Rohit, both from Ballabgarh, were taken into custody. Police said preliminary probe suggests that they were inebriated and police is checking their criminal record.

Police said the toll plaza manager, identified by only his first name, Sukhbir, was stabbed in the arm and waist while a special duty officer, identified as Pankaj, suffered a stab wound in his hand.

RS Bhaati, Kherki Daula toll plaza manager, said, “Two of our staffers were attacked after a scuffle over paying toll. Sukhbir and Pankaj were rushed to a private hospital. Sukhbir suffered two cut wounds on his left arm and is undergoing a surgery. Pankaj has also sustained injuries. We are lodging a police case.”