A video showing the son of a BJP leader allegedly assaulting a toll booth worker is going viral. The incident reportedly happened on the Vijayapura–Kalaburagi highway when one of the alleged assaulters was asked to pay the toll.
The CCTV footage, now widely shared on social media, shows a group of young men getting into an heated argument at the Kannoli toll plaza on Thursday. Within seconds, a scuffle breaks out. One of the men, identified by police as Samarthgouda Patil, son of BJP leader Vijugouda Patil, is seen hitting and abusing a toll employee who had asked for the toll fee.
According to police, Samarthgouda and his friends were en route to Sindagi when the altercation happened. When the toll staffer requested payment, Samarthgouda allegedly snapped, saying, “Do you know who I am? I’m the son of Vijugouda Patil.”
When the staffer asked, “Which Vijugouda?”, the group reportedly began to assault him.
Other employees at the booth rushed to intervene and managed to prevent the situation from worsening. The injured worker, identified as Sangappa, sustained facial injuries and was taken to Sindagi Taluk Hospital for treatment.
The local police said no formal complaint has been lodged yet. “We have not received any complaint from the toll staff so far,” a senior officer confirmed to PTI, adding that the matter is under preliminary inquiry.
Congress questions BJP culture
In a social media post on X, the Karnataka Congress handle raised the incident, calling it “BJP “culture” in action!”
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“BJP leader’s son refuses to pay toll, thrashes the operator, father justifies it. Power-drunk arrogance, disdain for the law, feudal privilege, and criminal behaviour; all rolled into one incident. This is not an exception, this is the BJP’s DNA,” the post added.
(With PTI inputs)