PATIALA: A toll plaza employee sustained severe injuries after a speeding car rammed into him, tossed him onto its bonnet and dragged him for several feet before speeding away at the Dhareri Jattan toll plaza on the Patiala–Rajpura highway on Saturday morning at around 3.58 am.The hit-and-run sequence was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the toll plaza.The footage showed an overspeeding vehicle hurtling through the lane, crashing past the safety boom barrier and hitting the on-duty staffer, who landed on the vehicle’s bonnet and was dragged for a distance before tumbling onto the tarmac. The car then fled the scene.The injured employee, identified as Amandeep Singh, a resident of Ghumana village in Patiala district, was rushed to govt Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.Police confirmed that a manhunt has been launched to arrest the absconding driver. Station house officer, Patiala Sadar police station, Jaspal Singh, could not be contacted for comments.DSP (Rural) Ranbir Singh said, “We are registering a case and have traced the registration number of the vehicle using CCTV footage. There was a single occupant inside the car. The injured employee is undergoing treatment and is out of danger.”The incident sparked strong reactions from toll plaza personnel. Condemning the recklessness, Darshan Singh Laddi, president of the Punjab State Toll Plaza Workers Union, demanded swift police intervention.“The vehicle was being driven recklessly at a high speed and didn’t even attempt to slow down. Several incidents have occurred in the past where toll plaza workers faced attacks or serious accidents on duty. Stricter safety measures and immediate arrest of the culprit are necessary.”
