Private transport operators in Assam go on lighning strike

The police resorted a lathi-charge to disperse miscreants preventing passengers from boarding buses at the Adabari stand in Guwahati after private transport owners went on a lightning strike here today to protest the fuel price hike, police sources said.

The police resorted a lathi-charge to disperse miscreants preventing passengers from boarding buses at the Adabari stand in Guwahati after private transport owners went on a lightning strike here on Friday to protest the fuel price hike, police sources said.

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The passengers waiting at the stand to board long-distance buses buses from lower Assam said that they were roughed up by the miscreants.

A bus driver of the state-run Assam State Transport Corporation was seriously injured by miscreants in Khanapara area when he declined to participate in the strike, the sources said.

He was admitted to hospital.

Commuters were greatly inconvenienced by the unnannounced private transport strike.

Private buses and passenger jeeps had also increased the minimum fare from Rs three to Rs five on Thursday.

Transport minister Chandan Brahma said that the fare hike was illegal and warned of strong action.

The Kamrup district administration has convened an emergency meeting of private bus and passenger jeep owners to resolve the problem.

On June 29, a 24-hour transport strike had been observed against the fuel hike.