The Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) tollgate near Mundali bridge was sealed by the Athagarh administration on Wednesday following the attack of the tollgate employees on tourists from Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.  Henceforth, no money will be collected from the vehicles till further order, said Sub-Collector Hemant Kumar Swain.
 
As per sources on Tuesday afternoon two buses plying with pilgrims from Chhattisgarh were passing through the gate, when the tollgate employees stopped them and demanded Rs 1,000 to let then pass through the gate. But the bus drivers requested the gate employees to  receive Rs 400 which was even more than the printed amount in the receipt. However, the employees who belong to local area had an exchange of words with the passengers and bus crew members and later all of a sudden started beating the bus passengers including old persons, women and children with sticks.
 
As a result, over a dozen passengers were wounded who were later rescued by the Athagarh police and admitted in the Athagarh Sub Divisional Hospital (SDH) for treatment. They were first brought to the Biju Patnaik Kalyan Mandap here and lodging, food and medical treatment for them were arranged.
 
On Wednesday, they were sent off in two special buses arranged by the Athagarh administration to their homes, said Sub-Collector Swain.
 
Meanwhile, the local police arrested two persons in the violence and the other accused are at large, who would be nabbed very soon, informed Athagarh SDPO Bijaya Kumar Bisi.