Srinagar, Oct 18: Haryana Police on Sunday said an altercation between a passenger travelling in a Jammu and Kashmir-bound bus and two local men, allegedly after a dispute over giving way, led to damage to the vehicle’s windows in Karnal, adding that all three were under the influence of alcohol.
Butana Police Station in-charge Vipin Kumar said police received a call through the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) about a dispute involving a private bus parked near Divine Star Dhaba and a car.
Speaking to reporters in Karnal, Kumar identified the two occupants of the car as Mohit and Sawan, residents of Unispur village, and the bus passenger as Syed Arfat.
He said the altercation resulted in damage to three to four windowpanes of the bus, adding that police had reviewed CCTV footage showing two men involved in a fight with the passenger.
“We are investigating against those boys,” Kumar said.
The police officer said the investigation was underway, but no formal complaint had been received from the passenger despite repeated requests to submit one to facilitate further action.
Kumar also denied any communal or region-specific motive behind the incident, saying the dispute was not linked to the bus being registered in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There was nothing like that. It was a fight between two sides after drinking,” he said, urging people to verify information before sharing videos on social media that could potentially disturb communal harmony.
The officer acknowledged that a passenger had sustained injuries, although he did not establish the exact circumstances in which the injury occurred. The bus subsequently left the area during the night.
The incident came to light after a Jammu and Kashmir-registered private bus travelling from Delhi to Srinagar was allegedly attacked near Divine Star Dhaba in Karnal late Saturday night.
The bus, operated by Star World Ventures and carrying around 40 passengers, had several windows damaged, while an elderly Kashmiri passenger was reportedly injured.
Earlier, Adil Bhat, owner of Star World Ventures, had alleged that a group of men assaulted the driver, pelted the bus with stones and threatened that Jammu and Kashmir-registered vehicles would not be allowed to operate in Haryana.
Bhat had also claimed that the men returned to the spot multiple times and that police took some passengers into custody following a confrontation. The passengers were subsequently released, he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took up the matter with the Haryana government, which assured prompt and stringent action in accordance with the law.
The Chief Minister’s Office said the J&K government had conveyed its concern over the safety and well-being of the passengers and was closely monitoring the situation.
The status of any arrests or detentions in connection with the incident was not immediately clear. —(KNO)
