Situation normal after attack on HRTC buses in Punjab

After attacks on Himachal Road Transportation Corporation (HRTC) buses in Punjab, the situation was turning normal in border districts of the state. Traffic on borders of state with Punjab in Kangra and Una district was normal though the police was maintaining strict vigil on state borders. The numbers of pilgrims from Punjab coming on motorcycles or tractor trollies to Manji Sahib gurudwara in Una district has stopped or reduced to a trickle after Holla Mohalla.

SP, Una, Rakesh Singh, when contacted, said that the situation in the district was normal and no reports have been received from adjoining districts of Punjab, including Ropar and Hoshiarpur, regarding violence against buses or private vehicles plying from state in Punjab. “We are in touch with the SPs of Ropar and Hoshiarpur districts regarding the situation. No cases have been registered against pilgrims of Punjab,” he added.

SSP, Kangra, Shalini Agnihotri said no case of clash between locals and pilgrims from Punjab has been registered or reported in Kangra district. “We are in touch with SPs of Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab regarding the situation. However, in Kangra district no case has been registered against Punjab pilgrims in recent past. We will be keep an eye on activities of pilgrims coming to district during forthcoming Navratra festivals,” she added.

Meanwhile, the HRTC officials from Una, Dharamsala and Kangra have registered FIRs in Hoshiarpur and Mohali districts against those who vandalised their buses in Punjab in recent past. Vice Chairman of Himachal Pradesh Transport Corporation, Ajay Verma said that the HRTC officials went to SPs of Mohali and Hoshiarpur and got cases registered against the people who vandalised the state transport corporation buses. The respective SPs of Punjab have assured them that security would be provided to HRTC buses plying in or through Punjab, he said.