- A retired Army officer was allegedly stopped and humiliated at a toll plaza in Karnataka's Udupi
- Wheelchair-bound officer claimed toll exemption was denied despite showing relevant documents
- The incident occurred on Republic Day eve
A retired Army officer has claimed that he was stopped and humiliated by toll plaza staff at the Sasthan Toll Plaza on National Highway-66 in Karnataka's Udupi district.
Retired Army Commander Shyamaraj said that the toll staff allegedly refused to grant toll exemption despite him producing relevant documents.
The officer later shared a video on social media describing the incident, which subsequently went viral.
The wheelchair-bound officer said the incident took place on the Republic Day eve and expressed disappointment over his treatment.
He said that he is a casualty of war and showed his documents in the video.
"I have crossed all tolls but have now been stopped here," he said.
In response, toll plaza staff said there was confusion regarding verification of documents and claimed that confirmation from higher authorities was delayed. Staff members then apologised to the officer on the spot.
The National Highways Authority of India, which oversees the toll plazas across the country, clarified that the fee exemption applies only to serving Army personnel on official duty.
"In this case, the user was an ex-Army personnel and was not eligible under toll fee rules, as the documents submitted did not meet the prescribed exemption criteria," it said on X.
