MANDI: In an incident that underscores concerns over the safety of inter-state public transport, a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Himdhara bus on its way from Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham to Vrindavan Dham was attacked by three motorcycle-borne assailants in Punjab’s Ropar district.
The incident took place while the bus was in motion, with the attackers pelting stones and shattering the front windshield. No passenger was injured.
This route had just been inaugurated a day earlier to promote religious tourism, flagged off ceremoniously from Nagrota Bagwan after traditional prayers at Chamunda Dham. On its maiden trip, the bus had 10 passengers on board. After leaving Chamunda at 3.20 pm, it passed through Kangra before heading towards Vrindavan, only to be met with violence in Punjab.
This is not an isolated incident. In recent months, HRTC buses passing through various parts of Punjab have faced repeated acts of vandalism and targeted attacks.
String of alarming incidents in Punjab
On March 18, an HRTC bus en route from Chandigarh to Hamirpur was attacked near the Kharar flyover. Two masked individuals in a vehicle without visible number plates stopped the bus and smashed its windshield and windows with rods and sticks. The attackers were later identified and arrested.
The motive appeared to be retaliation over the removal of pro-Khalistan flags from bikes in public places in Himachal Pradesh.
Just three days later, on March 21, four HRTC buses parked at the Amritsar Inter-State Bus Terminal were vandalised during the night. Their windshields were broken and slogans supporting Khalistan were scribbled across the vehicles.
Around the same period, HRTC buses operating in Hoshiarpur and Sirhind also came under attack. In Hoshiarpur, several buses were defaced with posters of controversial figures, while a Chamba-Delhi bus had its windows shattered near Sirhind. Another bus bound for Manali was forcibly plastered with similar provocative materials.
Himachal’s response and safety measures
In response to the spate of attacks, the Himachal Pradesh government had temporarily suspended 10 HRTC routes to Punjab’s Hoshiarpur region and ordered that no HRTC buses be parked overnight in Punjab until a clear assurance of safety is received.
The authorities have also opened communication channels with the Punjab government to ensure better protection for inter-state transport.
Himachal Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who also holds transport portfolio, condemned the attacks, reiterating that the HRTC is not involved in any political or religious matters and called for prompt legal action against the culprits.
Munish Sood
