Chaos erupted at Bhuni Toll Plaza on the Meerut–Karnal Highway on Monday afternoon after more than 500 villagers gathered to protest the brutal assault of an Indian Army soldier by toll staff.
The unrest, which began around 1 PM, continued for nearly four hours until 5 PM, causing extensive damage to toll infrastructure.
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The violence was triggered by an incident on Sunday night when 26-year-old Army jawan Kapil, posted with the Rajput Battalion in Srinagar and home on leave for the Kanwar Yatra, was allegedly tied to a pole and beaten by toll workers at the plaza.
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In retaliation, angry residents from Gotka and nearby villages stormed the toll plaza on Monday. They vandalized the toll office, smashed computers, air conditioners, and furniture, and pelted stones. Shocked by the intensity of the protest, toll employees fled the spot.
The mob also broke barricades, shattered windows, and demolished all six toll lanes, allowing vehicles to pass through without paying. After the rampage, the protesters staged a dharna (sit-in) at the site.
On receiving information, senior district officials—including the SP (Rural), ADM, SDM, and police forces from eight nearby stations—rushed to the scene. Six toll employees accused of assaulting the soldier were detained, and authorities said efforts were underway to arrest more suspects.
Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som and political leader Jitendra Satwai also reached the site. Som lashed out at the administration, saying, “Officers are sitting comfortably while the public and the victim are left waiting. If needed, I’ll call the DM here myself.”
A community meeting was later convened at the plaza, where the administration agreed to four key demands: immediate removal of staff involved in the assault; addition of three more names to the FIR and their arrest; declaration of a 10-km toll-free stretch around the plaza; and public display of a list of toll-free villages at the site.
Following these assurances, the villagers called off their protest.
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