CM Omar Abdullah raises pelting of stones on J&K-bound bus in Haryana, 2 held

Police said the clash began over parking at a dhaba and found no evidence of hostility towards passengers based on their region or identity.

Police have arrested two persons for allegedly throwing stones and smashing windows of a Jammu and Kashmir-bound private bus following a dispute in Haryana’s Karnal district, leaving a passenger and a dhaba employee injured, police said on Sunday.

The bus was travelling from Delhi to Srinagar with nearly 40 passengers when the altercation broke out in Karnal. (ANI Video Grab)

The arrested accused, Mohit and Sawan, are both residents of Yunispur village of Karnal district.

According to police, the altercation occurred over parking at Divine Star Dhaba near Raipur village in Karnal, ruling out any communal or region-based hate angle in the incident.

The incident drew a reaction from Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, who said his office had taken up the matter with the Haryana government and received assurance of prompt and stringent action in accordance with the law.

“This unfortunate incident should never have taken place. I hope the Haryana government, led by Nayab Singh Saini, and the Haryana Police catch the culprits and take action to ensure these things don’t happen again. The J&K government stands with the affected passengers and is closely monitoring the situation,” Omar posted on his X handle.

According to inspector general of police (IGP) (Karnal Range) Ashwin Shenvi, the incident occurred around 10pm on Saturday. “Two youths arrived at the spot in a Maruti Baleno car bearing registration number HR05BQ2412. “The bus, which was travelling from Delhi to Srinagar with nearly 40 passengers, also stopped in the dhaba’s parking area,” Shenvi said.

Police said while attempting to reverse and move ahead, the youths allegedly hit the bus, triggering a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical fight. Some bus passengers and dhaba employees also joined the confrontation, police said.

According to Butana police station in-charge Vipin Kumar, the bus passenger, identified as Saeed Arfak, and the two car occupants, Mohit and Sawan, were involved in the altercation. According to preliminary findings, he said the car occupants and the bus passenger were allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Police said the two youths broke the vehicle’s windowpanes, damaged the seats, and injured a passenger. Shenvi added that a dhaba employee also sustained injuries. Because both parties reportedly reached a compromise, no formal complaint was submitted at the time, and the bus resumed its journey towards Srinagar around 1:30am, police said.

Police later registered a first information report (FIR) at the Butana police station under relevant sections of the BNS, following a complaint filed by the manager of the dhaba. Police said they have seized the car of the accused and further investigation into the incident is underway.

The IGP said that the stone pelting on the bus stemmed from a parking dispute and was not a hate crime, adding that no hostility towards people from any particular state or region had emerged. He urged the public not to believe rumours on social media, stating that further action would be taken in accordance with the law as the investigation progresses.

Political Leaders React

The incident has triggered reactions from across the political spectrum. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed Para, demanded the arrest of the culprits. “A Delhi–Srinagar sleeper bus was attacked with bricks while passengers slept. An elderly Kashmiri was left bleeding. Hate is making ordinary Kashmiris unsafe. We demand arrests and accountability,” he said.

National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi called the incident an alleged “hate crime”. “Stones and bricks were pelted at a Kashmir-bound bus...one elderly Kashmiri man was injured in the attack, leaving families feeling helpless and terrified. We condemn the murderous attack on innocent people and demand action,” he said on X.

People’s Conference president Sajad Lone also termed it an “incident of hate”. “This is an incident of hate. A lunatic, drunk on hatred for Kashmiris, indulged in an act of violence against ordinary civilians. I hope that this incident is taken seriously and the attackers get the punishment that they deserve,” he said on X.

J&K BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur also condemned the attack, saying that targeting people because of their Kashmiri identity is unacceptable and must not be tolerated in a country that stands for unity, equality and brotherhood.

“Such incidents are not acceptable in Modi’s India. Kashmiris deserve the same dignity, respect and hospitality in every part of the country as any other citizen,” Thakur said.