6 Lakhanpur toll post employees arrested for assaulting local youths

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 8

Six employees of the Lakhanpur toll post were on Tuesday arrested for allegedly assaulting three local youths over the payment of toll late Monday night.

The arrests were made after a local resident Sunny Kumar lodged a complaint with the police against seven staff members of the toll post.

The arrested include Sumit of Hatli Morh, Faizann of Anantnag, Tippu of Lakhanpur, Balwinder Singh of Kharot Lakhanpur, Anuj Sharma of Lakhanpur and Rocky Singh of Hatli Morh, Kathua.

Interestingly, the toll post staff has lodged a counter complaint against unknown persons.  

On Monday night, Lakhanpur toll plaza was ransacked by a mob after three local youth were allegedly assaulted following an altercation over the payment of toll.

Kathua Deputy Commissioner OP Bhagat has imposed prohibitory orders on assembly of four or more people under Section 144 in the area.

The toll plaza was made operational on July 21 and since then, opposition parties, including the Congress, Panthers Party and National Conference, besides the Youth Federation, Kathua, and the truckers’ association, have been holding protests demanding immediate disbanding of the toll post.