Toll in Hejamadi service road: Bus drivers resort to lightning protest
Padubidri, September 2: Drivers of service buses opposed the toll gate set up for the Hejamadi old MBC road and resorted to lightning protest for two hours obstructing the vehicular movement on the road here on Sunday.
Navayug Company has started collecting toll fee near Hejamadi Bastipadu stadium on national highway 66. In order to avoid the toll fee, majority of vehicles are plying on old MBC road. Knowing this, the company has again started to collect toll fee on service road near Hejamadi Guddeangadi. It started to collect the toll fee on Saturday. But on Sunday morning, all service bus drivers and other vehicles stopped their vehicles near toll gate suddenly and staged protest which lasts for more than two hours. This has caused inconvenience to the passengers.
Later, the police rushed to the spot and held discussions with the company to allow the service buses free for two days. It was also decided to hold discussion after two days.
Locals protest
Later, local residents gathered on the spot and opposed the toll fee collection on old BMC road. Without giving any prior information and preparation, the company has started collecting fee. This has caused inconvenience to the local residents. Without meeting the demands of the gram panchayat, the company has suddenly started collecting the fee which is not fair. The Deputy Commissioner would hold a meeting in the end of the month. Till then, the company should restrain from collecting fee, they demanded.
As the company started collecting fee at Hejamadi national highway, the number of vehicles plying on the service road has increased causing damage to the road and a bridge. So, it was a nice decision to construct toll plaza, opined others.
As the local buses, school buses and goods vehicles come to Hejamadi, the toll plaza would be a burden for them. So, those vehicles should be given relaxation from toll fee, demand some others.
Hejamadi service road is belonging to PWD and the Navayug company has no right to collect toll fee on that road, said agitators.
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ISKCON urges Indian intervention following priest's arrest in Bangladesh
Dhaka: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has called on the Indian government to take immediate steps to secure the release of its priest, Chinmoy Krishna Das, detained by Bangladeshi authorities. The arrest occurred near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Das, a prominent ISKCON leader and former divisional organising secretary for Chattogram, faces sedition charges stemming from an October 25 incident. According to a case filed on October 31, 19 individuals, including Das, allegedly placed a saffron flag over the Bangladeshi flag on the Independent Pillar (Shadhinata Smathamva) during a rally organised by the Hindu community under the banner Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.
ISKCON has strongly denied any involvement in terrorism, describing the allegations as "baseless and unacceptable." In a statement, ISKCON declared, "It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world. ISKCON urges the Government of India to engage with Bangladesh to secure the release of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das."
Hindu communities in Bangladesh have staged protests demanding better legal protection and the establishment of a minority affairs ministry under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi police have arrested two other suspects, Rajesh Chowdhury and Hriday Das, in connection with the case. The remaining accused include Ajay Dutta, Leela Raj Das Brahmachari, Gopal Das Tipu, and several others. ISKCON spokesperson Radharamn Das expressed concerns over Das's safety, stating that he had been moved to an undisclosed location by the police.
