Srinagar, Oct 19: A Kashmir-bound passenger bus travelling from Delhi to Srinagar was allegedly attacked with stones near Ludhiana in Punjab late Sunday night, marking the second such incident involving a bus operated by the same company in two days.
As reported by The New Indian Express, the 40-seater sleeper bus operated by Star World Ventures came under attack around 11 pm, resulting in damage to its glass windowpanes. The incident reportedly triggered panic among passengers, including women, children and elderly persons.
Bus driver Ishfaq Ahmad said stones struck the moving vehicle at four places, causing damage and frightening those on board. Expressing concern over repeated attacks, he questioned why passengers travelling along the route should have to fear for their safety.
The incident follows an attack on another Kashmir-bound bus operated by the same company near Divine Star Dhaba in Kurukshetra, Haryana, on Saturday evening. The attack left the vehicle’s windowpanes smashed and an elderly passenger injured. The driver, Waqar, also alleged that he was assaulted during the incident.
While Haryana Police reportedly attributed the Kurukshetra incident to a parking dispute and detained two persons, Waqar disputed that account, alleging that occupants of a private car objected to the presence of a Jammu and Kashmir-registered vehicle and used an anti-Kashmiri slur.
Reacting to the attack, National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar questioned whether the handling of the earlier incident had emboldened others to target Kashmir-bound passengers. He called for exemplary action against those responsible.
Jammu and Kashmir Students Association national convener Nasir Khuehami also condemned the incident, urging Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the state’s Director General of Police to ensure an impartial investigation and strict legal action against the perpetrators.
Khuehami said repeated attacks on Kashmir-bound vehicles raised serious concerns about the safety of Kashmiri passengers, stressing that no one should face intimidation or discrimination because of their identity or place of origin.
