Surathkal toll gate to be closed permanently from Nov 30: DK DC Ravikumar
Mangaluru, Nov 29: The toll collection at the plaza in Surathkal near here will be stopped completely by November 30 night, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M R Ravikumar has said.
Based on the letter issued by the project director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the DC issued orders to the effect on November 24, which was released on Monday.
The order states that toll charges will not be collected at Surathkal toll gate from December 1.
The NHAI has already passed an order to collect additional toll charges at Hejamadi toll gate after the decision to merge the two toll gates.
The order from NHAI also says that in order to ensure that there is no disruption or stoppage to the combined toll collection at Hejamadi toll plaza or in case there is any disruption or stoppage of toll collection, the losses on this account shall be reimbursed by the state government as per the state support agreement to NHAI.
The decision to remove the toll gate near NIT-K at Surathkal comes after prolonged protests from the public.
People have been on the warpath for the last several months against the toll gate at Surathkal near here, which they term as illegal' as the nearest toll gate at Hejamadi is just 10 km away. National Highway rules stipulate that no two toll plazas should exist between a 60-km stretch.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
