Jammu: The district administration Samba has imposed section 144 around Sarore toll plaza for the protesters on Jammu-Pathankot highway and removed the agitating volunteers of Yuva Rajput Sabha from the site.
Officials said section 144 was imposed by District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma, following which police vehicles made announcement and appealed the protesting men to vacate the toll plaza, where they were protesting since afternoon.
Sources said that the restriction was specifically imposed on protests and assembly of people and not on normal traffic. However, YRS reluctant to comply with prohibition orders compelled police to forcibly remove the protesters and detained many of their members.
Earlier, carrying tri-colour and organisational flags, hundreds of YRS members marched towards Sarore toll plaza in various parts of Jammu. The protesters tried to uproot the toll booth. Some unidentified persons in the rally also pelted stones on the cabins at the plaza, damaging the glasses.
“We will not stop protesting until the government issues an immediate order regarding suspension of toll plaza,” said one of the protesting members.
The locals said, “Toll is paid for maintenance of road but when the connectivity is worst, why it has to be paid. The government should immediately suspend it.”
Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces were made at the site while administrative officials were also present to pacify the protesters.
Pertinently, the traffic on Jammu-Pathankot highway is affected from July 19 after the bridge on Tarnah Nallah near Dayalachak suffered damages due to overflowing of the Ujh River. The traffic however, has been diverted towards the border village to connect it with the highway near Chadwal. (KNO)
