Two sons of an Andhra Pradesh MP and five of their associates were arrested on Monday for ransacking a toll plaza at Bagepalli on National Highway 7 in Chickballapur district and attacking the staff for asking them to pay the toll. All the seven were later released on station bail.

Incidentally, the Telugu Desam Party MP for Hindupur, Nimmala Krishnappa, himself was involved in a similar incident at the same toll plaza in May 2015, and an FIR was registered against him.

His sons, Ambarish and Shirish, and their associates (in a separate vehicle) were travelling from Gorantla in Andhra Pradesh to Bengaluru on Monday morning. When the toll plaza staff at Bagepalli asked them to pay the toll, the duo refused and tried to move by breaking the toll barrier. According to the police, the men allegedly argued that they were not obliged to pay the toll as they were the sons of an MP.

However the staff insisted on payment, telling them that only MPs were entitled to the waiver and not their family members. According to eyewitnesses, the argument quickly escalated and the brothers started making calls. Within minutes, a few persons arrived at the spot in another vehicle. People from all the three vehicles allegedly stepped out and started attacking the toll cabins. They also allegedly beat up the staff with sticks, injuring Nataraj and Suresh, who were treated at a local hospital and discharged.

Following a complaint by the toll plaza staff, the Bagepalli police arrested Ambarish and Shirish and five of their associates. Sub-inspector of Police Naresh Naik told The Hindu that the MP’s sons and friends proceeded to Bengaluru after their release.

The MP’s sons also filed a counter-complaint against the toll staff, alleging that they were manhandled, following which the police arrested and later released five toll plaza staff.

In March, Suresh Gowda, MLA from Tumakuru district, was caught on CCTV assaulting toll plaza staff near Kyatasandra.