Hunger strike by YRS demanding removal of toll plaza in Samba enters 6th day

Jammu, Aug 30 (PTI) The hunger strike by ‘Yuva Rajput Sabha’ (YRS) activists and civil society members demanding the removal of a toll plaza on the Jammu-Pathankot highway in Samba district entered the sixth day on Tuesday.

Activists of the YRS have been on a hunger strike since August 25 at Samba after the police detained their 26 colleagues for violating restrictions imposed around the Sarore toll plaza. All of them were later released.

One of the activists, Lucky Singh, whose condition deteriorated on Tuesday due to the hunger strike, was taken to a hospital in Jammu, officials said, adding his condition is stable.

“I request the administration to resolve the issue immediately. It is a united demand of all,” Singh told reporters while being taken to the hospital.

President of Beopar Mandal Tejinder Singh said authorities should pay heed to the demands of the locals to remove the toll plaza.

The YRS held massive protests on August 21 over the setting up of the toll plaza at Sarore in Samba, saying the locals had to unnecessarily pay a toll.

It also claimed that the toll plaza was set up in violation of the guidelines of the National Highways Authority of India as the distance between two toll plazas on this highway stretch is less than 35 kilometers. According to the NHAI rules, the distance between the two toll plazas should be 65 kilometers.