SABARIMALA: Toll collection from vehicles carrying Sabarimala pilgrims at Chalakkayam came to a standstill on Sunday for two hours from 12.30 pm following an agitation by Yuva Morcha volunteers demanding the Travancore Devaswom Board to give up the toll collection in the name of parking fee.Two persons were injured when the protest march taken out by Yuva Morcha volunteers at Chalakayam toll gate turned violent. Hundreds of Morcha volunteers led by state president V V Rajesh, general secretary K Sudheer, secretary K Binumon and district president P Unnikrishnan led the the agitation. The protest march was blocked by the policemen led by Pathanamthitta DySp Raghuvaran Nair. The Yuva Morcha workers then resorted to stone-pelting. Two persons, including constable of Pathanamthitta AR camp Ajeer and Sakthivel, an employee working for the toll collection contractor, were injured in the stone-pelting. Hundreds of pilgrim vehicles were stranded as a result of the agitation and the queue of vehicles extended up to Attathode colony. After the agitation, Morch state president V V Rajesh said the agitation would continue till the the TDB gave up the toll collection from pilgrim vehicles.Rajesh said that there was no justification for collecting the fee either in the name of parking fee or toll for using the Chalakkayam-Pampa road, which was constructed two decades ago.
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