Disabled war veteran allegedly humiliated in Udupi; Toll Staff apologised after Blacklash

Udupi: A permanently disabled war veteran who dedicated his life to the service of the nation was allegedly humiliated by toll plaza staff at the Sasthana toll plaza near Udupi, triggering widespread outrage after a video of the incident went viral on social media. However toll staff apologised after outrage.

The incident involves Shyamaraj, a former Army commando who served with the elite 21 Para Special Forces and is a war casualty from Operation Parakram. Despite being eligible for toll fee exemption under existing rules for disabled defence personnel, Shyamaraj was allegedly forced to pay the toll amount and was prevented from proceeding when he refused.

In the viral video, Shyamaraj is seen seated in a wheelchair after stepping out of his car, which had been moved aside by the toll staff. Speaking in Hindi, he emotionally narrated the ordeal, stating that he had all valid documents proving his entitlement to toll exemption. “I am an Army commando, a war casualty. I have crossed several toll plazas without paying any fee, but at Sasthana toll they are refusing to let me go unless I pay,” he said.

Shyamaraj also mentioned that he was travelling with his wife, who is posted under Army Medical Corps rules, and questioned why he was being treated differently despite clear provisions granting toll-free passage to disabled soldiers. Referring to the timing of the incident, which occurred a day before Republic Day, he asked, “If today is January 25 and tomorrow is Republic Day, tell me why I am sitting in a wheelchair. Does it have no meaning?”

He further appealed to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, seeking clarity on why toll staff were demanding money from a war-disabled soldier who is legally exempt from such charges.

Responding to the allegations, the toll staff reportedly claimed they were unaware of the specific rules and were acting on instructions from their superiors. After Shyamaraj questioned them emotionally, pointing out that anyone with a soldier in their family would understand his pain, the staff apologised.

“We did not have complete information regarding the exemption. The records were forwarded to our higher authorities, and there was a delay in confirmation, which caused confusion on the spot. We apologized to the veteran at the site, and we would like to apologize once again to the serviceman,” the toll personnel said.

The incident sparked national attention as social media users expressed anger over the treatment of a veteran who had sustained permanent disability in service to the nation. Authorities have emphasized the need for better awareness and training for toll staff to prevent such situations in the future.