Mar 19, 2025 04:14 PM IST
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu calls up Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, who assures him of security of buses and strict motion in opposition to miscreants concerned in vandalism.
The Himachal Pradesh Transport Company (HRTC) indefinitely suspended providers on 10 routes to Punjab after two of its buses have been vandalised in Hoshiarpur and Mohali over the previous two days whilst chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu spoke to his counterpart Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday.
Amid the controversy that erupted following show of flags carrying slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s footage on the car of a Punjabi vacationer in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali and its elimination by native residents, two masked miscreants vandalised a bus of the Himachal Street Transport Company (HRTC) on the Kharar flyover in Mohali on Tuesday. (HT Picture)
“As a preventive measure, we have suspended services on 10 routes to Punjab. We will resume services only after the situation becomes normal. We are in touch with the Punjab authorities. Punjab is our big brother and we will resolve the issue amicably,” deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri mentioned in an announcement within the Himachal Pradesh meeting.
HRTC buses ply on 100 routes in Punjab. The suspension of providers on 10 routes comes after HRTC buses have been focused by radical Sikh components following a current faceoff over the show of flags with slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s photograph on bikes of vacationers from Punjab in Manali. Dal Khalsa activists stopped HRTC buses coming from Himachal Pradesh and different autos with an HP registration quantity and pasted photographs of Bhindranwale on them two days in the past.
Addressing the Himachal Pradesh meeting, Sukhu mentioned: “I have spoken to the Punjab CM and he has assured me safety of the buses. He has also said that strict action will be taken against the miscreants involved in these incidents (of vandalism).”
“DGP-level officers will discuss to take action on the issue,” Sukhu mentioned, including that police safety might be offered to the buses if required.
Agnihotri, who holds the transport portfolio, mentioned, “Drivers and conductors have been instructed to stay alert. Safety of passengers and staff is our priority.”
The deputy CM instructed the Home that posters of Bhindranwale have been pasted on an HRTC bus on the Jalandhar-Manali route two days in the past, whereas one other bus of the Una depot was focused. When the motive force and the conductor protested the pasting of Bhindranwale’s posters, they have been roughed up. After popping out of the bus stand, they eliminated the posters. On March 18, an HRTC bus plying on the Chandigarh-Hamirpur route was stopped and was vandalised. One other bus plying on the Chamba-Delhi route was focused with stones in Sirhind and an FIR was registered in Sirhind.
Chief of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, whereas talking within the Home raised severe concern on the incidents. “Safety of residents of Himachal Pradesh is the responsibility of the government. The drivers and conductors and residents are feeling insecure to travel in buses. The government’s efforts should be visible,” the previous chief minister mentioned, recounting the incident when Khalistan flags have been displayed on the gate of the meeting in Dharamshala. “We arrested those involved within two days in Punjab,” he mentioned.
Information / Cities / Chandigarh / After buses vandalised, HRTC indefinitely suspends providers on 10 routes in Punjab
See Much less