Kashmir-bound bus attacked with stones in Haryana; elderly passenger injured

Srinagar: A Jammu and Kashmir-bound luxury sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Srinagar was allegedly attacked with stones and bricks near Kurukshetra in Haryana, leaving an elderly Kashmiri passenger injured and causing extensive damage to the vehicle. The incident prompted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene and seek action against those responsible.

The attack reportedly took place while the bus, bearing a Jammu and Kashmir registration number, was travelling towards Srinagar. Videos circulating on social media showed shattered windows, damaged tail lights and a bent registration plate.

The bus, operated by Star World Ventures, sustained considerable damage in the incident, according to social media posts.

Taking serious note of the attack, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his office had contacted the Haryana government, which assured prompt action against those involved.

Abdullah said the Haryana administration had promised to take stringent action in accordance with the law.

“The J&K Government stands with the affected passengers and is closely monitoring the situation,” he said in a post on his official X handle.

Earlier, Abdullah had appealed directly to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and the state police to identify those responsible and ensure that such incidents were not repeated.

“This unfortunate incident should never have taken place. I hope the Haryana government led by @NayabSainiBJP ji and @police_haryana catch the culprits and take action to ensure these things don’t happen again,” he had said in a post on his personal X account.

The incident also drew condemnation from the ruling National Conference, with party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar describing it as an alleged hate crime.

“Stones and bricks pelted on Kashmir bus, on Delhi to Srinagar route, near Kurukshetra Haryana in an alleged hate crime. One elderly Kashmiri man injured in the attack, families left helpless and terrified,” Dar posted on X.

Dar strongly condemned what he described as “the murderous attack on innocent people” and called for action against those behind the incident.

Meanwhile, a video shared by a social media user purportedly showed the damage caused to the luxury sleeper bus following the stone-throwing incident.

“A luxury sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Srinagar was attacked with stones near Kurukshetra, Haryana. The video shows extensive damage to the Star World Ventures bus; shattered windows, broken tail lights and a bent license plate,” the user said.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of passengers travelling between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

While the National Conference spokesperson alleged that the attack was motivated by hatred, the circumstances surrounding the incident and the motive behind it have not yet been officially established.

Further details regarding the identity of the attackers and any arrests were not immediately available.