Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus vandalised at Kharar

Two masked men vandalised a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus (Chandigarh-Hamirpur) at Kharar near here on Tuesday evening.

The incident is being seen as a retaliatory move by the radicals in protest against the Himachal Pradesh Police action against those brandishing pro-Khalistan flags and posters on their vehicles near Manikaran in Kullu.

Several such incidents of clashes between radical elements and police and Himachal locals have been reported recently.

Sources said the car-borne youths stopped the public transport bus near Shivjot Enclave bridge and vandalised the vehicle in full public view before fleeing from the spot.

One of the assailants attacked the front windshield of the bus while the other remained seated in the car, whose registration number plate was masked.

The passengers panicked at the sudden development. They were shifted to another bus. Police impounded the vehicle and began investigation.

Similar incidents had occurred earlier in the day, including the one at the Hoshiarpur bus stand where a group of youths pasted pro-Khalistan posters on an HRTC bus and vandalised others.

Tourists from Punjab are often involved in altercations with police and locals in Himachal for brandishing pro-Khalistan flags and posters on their vehicles.

A large number of tourists and pilgrims from Punjab travel in large groups on motorcycles, and some are accused of brandishing pro-Khalistan flags and engaging in brawls with locals.