Mangaluru: Nearly half-a-dozen activists, including KPCC spokesperson Prathiba Kulai, sustained injuries after hundreds of protesters turned violent and broke barricades while attempting to lay siege to the Surathkal toll plaza near NITK on the city’s outskirts on Tuesday.
Over 150 protesters, including former minister Vinaykumar Sorake, who were detained and shifted to Pandeshwar police station, Buntara Bhavan in Bantwal, Kulal Bhavan in Surathkal and other places, were released later in the evening.
Surathkal Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi convenor Muneer Katipalla told reporters that Samithi members will regroup on Wednesday to chart out their next campaign against the illegal toll plaza.
Tulunadu vs BJP
Earlier, hundreds of protesters, holding placards, raised slogans against the illegal toll plaza. As many as 500 police personnel, including six platoons of KSRP, five platoons of CAR, 250 civil personnel among others, were deployed to prevent any untoward incidents.
Activists broke the barricades and attempted to lay siege on the toll plaza. KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai addressed protesters from atop the kiosk in toll plaza.
The police detained hundreds of protesters, including former minister Vinakumar Sorake, former MLAs Shakuntala Shetty, J R Lobo, Moideen Bava, Muneer Katipalla, Sunil Kumar Bajal, former MLC Ivan D’Souza, former corporator Pratibha Kulai, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, Mithun Rai, Naveen D’Souza, were bundled into the waiting vans and shifted to different centres.
In the melee, Abdul Khader and Prathiba Kulai among others sustained injuries.
‘Intensify the campaign’
Muneer Katipalla told reporters that `Tulunadu versus BJP’ protest had received overwhelming response from the public. Hundreds of activists ignored notices served on them by police and participated in the protest.
The agitation has revealed the public’s frustrations against the BJP-elected representatives, he said.
KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai said the protest was not against the toll staff or police but against the illegal toll plaza.
“Even BJP MLAs are against the illegal toll,” he said.
Former president of Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators’ Association Dilraj Alva told DH that activists were released without any cases being registered against them.
Muneer urged public to launch a non cooperation campaign by refusing to pay at the toll gate.
“We will intensify the campaign and the members will meet again to decide the next course of action,” he said.
The protest disrupted the movement of traffic on NH 66 and payment of toll for over 30 minutes before police succeeded in bringing normalcy.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said that there was no damage made to the toll plaza as the protesters were stopped before they could take any action.