Shocking! Stone Pelting on Himachal Buses – 10 Routes Suspended
Shimla (The Uttam Hindu): The incidents of stone pelting and the display of Bhindranwale posters and flags on Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses have escalated. In response, the Himachal government has temporarily suspended 10 bus routes operating from the Hoshiarpur border. This issue was raised in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, where Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur called it a serious law-and-order concern. He urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to request intervention from the Punjab government on this matter.
Opposition Raises Concern Over Targeting of HRTC Buses
Addressing the Assembly, Jairam Thakur stated that the targeting of Himachal Pradesh buses is extremely worrying. He claimed that some anti-social elements are attempting to disrupt peace, and the government must take this issue seriously. He recalled that when Khalistani flags and slogans were displayed in Dharamshala during the previous government’s tenure, swift action was taken, and the culprits were arrested. Now, with stone-pelting incidents occurring on HRTC buses, he urged the current state government to take immediate steps to ensure passenger safety.
CM Sukhu Speaks to Punjab CM, Assures Security for HRTC Buses
In response, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly that he had discussed the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. CM Mann assured him that necessary steps would be taken to prevent such incidents and that the safety of HRTC buses would be ensured. CM Sukhu stated that Punjab is like a "big brother" to Himachal, and Bhagwant Mann has promised all possible measures to protect Himachal’s buses and passengers. He further mentioned that discussions would also take place between the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of both states to strengthen security arrangements.
Deputy CM Highlights Multiple Incidents of Vandalism
Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed the Assembly that on March 17, a group of anti-social elements stopped an HRTC bus traveling from Jalandhar to Manali at the Hoshiarpur bus stand and forcibly pasted Bhindranwale posters on it. Similarly, buses from Una and Palampur depots were also targeted. When bus drivers and conductors protested, they were threatened.
The next day, on March 18, another incident took place near the Kharar flyover, where miscreants attacked a bus traveling from Chandigarh to Hamirpur. The attackers had covered their car's number plate and used sticks to smash the bus windows. Fortunately, no passengers were injured, and they were safely transported to their destination in another bus. An FIR regarding the incident has been registered at the Kharar police station.
