Srinagar, Oct 18: A Jammu and Kashmir-registered sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Srinagar was allegedly attacked with stones and bricks in Haryana late Saturday night, leaving an elderly Kashmiri passenger injured and several windows of the vehicle smashed.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took up the matter with the Haryana government, which assured prompt and stringent action against those responsible. The J&K government said it was closely monitoring the situation and had conveyed its concern over the safety and well-being of the passengers.
The bus, operated by Star World Ventures, had stopped near Divine Star Dhaba in Karnal around 10:30 pm when the incident occurred. Around 40 passengers were reportedly travelling in the vehicle.
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Adil Bhat, owner of Star World Ventures, said the driver informed him that a group of men arrived in a car and entered into an altercation with him.
According to Bhat, the men allegedly abused and assaulted the driver before leaving the spot. They later returned on motorcycles and pelted the bus with stones, damaging its windows. Some passengers had stepped out of the vehicle during the halt, he said.
Bhat alleged that the group returned for a third time and threatened the driver against operating Jammu and Kashmir-registered vehicles in Haryana.
“This is Haryana. Kashmir-registered vehicles will not be allowed to operate here,” Bhat quoted the men as telling the driver.
He further alleged that a confrontation followed, after which police took some passengers into custody on allegations that they had attempted to attack the police. The passengers were subsequently released, while the driver was asked to leave the area, Bhat said.
A video purportedly showing the damaged bus and passengers recounting the incident has also surfaced. In the video, a person alleges that the driver was assaulted, the bus windows were smashed with bricks and threats were issued against vehicles registered in Jammu and Kashmir.
The person also questioned the police action, alleging that some passengers were detained following the confrontation.
Reacting to the incident, Omar Abdullah described it as unfortunate and urged the Haryana government and police to identify those responsible and take action to prevent a recurrence.
“This unfortunate incident should never have taken place. I hope the Haryana government led by @NayabSainiBJP ji & @police_haryana catch the culprits & take action to ensure these things don’t happen again,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.
In a subsequent update, the Chief Minister’s Office said the matter had been taken up with the Haryana government, conveying concern over the safety and well-being of the passengers.
“The Haryana administration has assured prompt and stringent action in accordance with the law,” the CMO said, adding that the J&K government stood with the affected passengers and was closely monitoring the situation.
National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar also condemned the incident, describing it as an alleged hate crime.
Peoples Democratic Party leader Waheed Parra expressed concern over the reported attack and the alleged police action against passengers.
“A Delhi–Srinagar sleeper bus was attacked with bricks in Kurukshetra while passengers slept. An elderly Kashmiri was left bleeding. Disturbingly, reports suggest police targeted passengers instead of the attackers,” Parra wrote on X.
“Hate is making ordinary Kashmiris unsafe. We demand arrests and accountability,” he added, tagging Haryana Police and other authorities.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Jammu and Kashmir president Vivek Bali also condemned the alleged attack, expressing concern that such incidents could undermine the country’s image of diversity, unity and hospitality.
Grand Mufti J&K Nasir-ul-Islam Farooqi called on the Haryana government to ensure a prompt and impartial investigation into the reported attack on the sleeper bus and bring those responsible to justice.
The identities of those involved had not been officially established at the time of filing this report. The police version of the incident was also awaited. —(KNO)
