Udupi (Karnataka), Jan 27 (PTI) A retired Army commando who lost both his legs during a military operation was allegedly harassed and humiliated by toll plaza staff in this district, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at the Sasthana toll plaza near Kundapur on January 26, they added.
A video recorded by the soldier at the toll booth has since gone viral, sparking widespread public outrage.
The soldier, Shyamaraj (42), a native of Edaneeru in Kerala’s Kasaragod district, served with the elite 21 Paramilitary unit. He sustained grievous injuries during Operation Parakram, leaving him permanently disabled and wheelchair-bound.
In the video, Shyamaraj is seen explaining in Hindi that he holds a valid identity card and toll exemption pass issued by the Government of India. He said he has travelled across the country without paying tolls at other plazas, but was stopped at Sasthana and asked to pay.
“I am a war victim of Operation Parakram. I have all the documents for the toll exemption. Everywhere else I was allowed to pass, but here they are stopping me,” he said, naming two toll staff members.
Questioning the treatment meted out to him, he asked, “Do you see why I am sitting in this wheelchair? Is this how a soldier who sacrificed for the country is treated?” Operation Parakram was a large-scale military mobilisation that lasted over 10 months (December 2001-October 2002) in response to the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001.
Visibly distressed, Shyamaraj appealed to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to intervene, noting that war-disabled soldiers are exempt from toll payment under existing norms.
Toll plaza staff were heard saying they were acting on instructions from higher authorities and claimed they were unaware of the exemption.
The exchange further escalated tensions, with Shyamaraj expressing anguish over the lack of sensitivity shown towards disabled veterans.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism on social media, with many users demanding strict action against the staff involved and calling for better training on toll rules for defence personnel and war veterans. PTI COR AMP SSK
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