Kalyandurg MLA’s men rough up toll plaza staff

Tirupati: Kalyandurg TDP legislator Amilineni Surendra Babu's gunmen roughed up the toll plaza staff at Gandaboyinapalli, under Valmikipuram mandal in Annamayya district, for allegedly ‘misbehaving' with the MLA on Saturday. The toll plaza staff alleged that the MLA's followers picked up an altercation with them over payment of toll fees and later assaulted the toll plaza manager Ravi. They alleged that the MLA's followers didn't even spare a woman staff, Srilatha, who was pulled her by her hair and thrashed. Ravi was reportedly pushed into one of the escort vehicles and taken away.As videos of the assault went viral, Surendra Babu said he was returning to Kalyandurg after offering prayers at Tirumala temple. "When my vehicle reached Gandaboyinapalli toll plaza, the staff there behaved rudely and didn't allow my vehicle to pass through. They made me wait for close to 10 minutes even though my staff was ready to pay the toll fees. My staff retaliated when the toll plaza staff tried to attack us as they were left with no other option," the MLA claimed. He said contrary to misleading claims that the toll plaza manager Ravi was forcibly taken in a vehicle, he said his staff took him to Vayalpadu police station. "During our interaction with the police, we came to know that there have been numerous complaints over the behaviour of some of the staff working at the toll plaza. Recently, they even stopped a DIG-rank police officer's vehicle and misbehaved in a similar manner," he alleged. Surendra Babu further claimed that the issue was resolved after the toll plaza manager and his staff tendered an apology.