Ludhiana: A Srinagar-bound private bus travelling from Delhi was hit by a stone near Doraha in Punjab’s Ludhiana district on Sunday night, marking the second such attack on the same transport operator within 24 hours. No one was injured in the latest incident.
The stone struck around 11pm, shattering a windowpane of the bus operated by Star World Venture. Following the attack, Khanna police despatched an escort vehicle to safely guide the bus out of their jurisdiction.
Khanna SP, investigation, Rakesh Kumar Yadav said police are scanning local CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators and are coordinating with Haryana authorities to establish whether the two attacks are linked. An FIR is being registered at the Doraha police station. Locals and commuters said that night-time stone-pelting on vehicles along this highway stretch has been an ongoing issue in recent months.
The Doraha attack follows a similar incident on Saturday night along National Highway-44 near the Karnal bypass in Haryana, where another Srinagar-bound bus from the same company was pelted with stones, shattering its windshield and side windows and causing panic among passengers.
The Karnal incident quickly took on political dimensions after Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah raised concerns regarding the safety of passengers travelling on the route.
{{/usCountry}}The Karnal incident quickly took on political dimensions after Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah raised concerns regarding the safety of passengers travelling on the route.
{{/usCountry}}Responding to Abdullah, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the safety of every citizen and visitor remains his government’s priority, clarifying that the Karnal incident was triggered by a localised parking dispute rather than a targeted hate attack.
“The safety of every citizen and every person visiting the state is our utmost priority. Shri @OmarAbdullah ji, in this matter, immediate action has been ensured by the Haryana Police,” Saini posted on X. “The police investigation has revealed that this altercation occurred merely over a parking dispute between two vehicle drivers. An FIR has been registered in the case, and both accused individuals have been arrested. Further legal proceedings in the matter are underway.”