In a troubling event that raises alarms about the safety of interstate public transport, a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, traveling from Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham to Vrindavan Dham, was attacked by three individuals on motorcycles in the Ropar district of Punjab.

The assault occurred while the bus was in transit, with the assailants throwing stones that shattered the front windshield. Fortunately, no passengers were harmed.

This particular route had been inaugurated just a day prior to encourage religious tourism, with a ceremonial flag-off from Nagrota Bagwan following traditional prayers at Chamunda Dham. On its inaugural journey, the bus carried 10 passengers, departing Chamunda at 3:20 PM, passing through Kangra, and heading towards Vrindavan before encountering violence in Punjab.

This incident is part of a disturbing trend. In recent months, HRTC buses traversing various regions of Punjab have been subjected to repeated vandalism and targeted assaults.

For instance, on March 18, an HRTC bus traveling from Chandigarh to Hamirpur was attacked near the Kharar flyover. Two masked individuals in an unmarked vehicle halted the bus and smashed its windows with rods and sticks. The attackers were later apprehended, and their motive seemed to stem from a backlash against the removal of pro-Khalistan flags from public spaces in Himachal Pradesh.

Just three days later, on March 21, four HRTC buses parked at the Amritsar Inter-State Bus Terminal were vandalized overnight, with broken windshields and pro-Khalistan slogans scrawled on them.

Additionally, HRTC buses in Hoshiarpur and Sirhind faced similar attacks, with several buses defaced with posters of controversial figures, and a Chamba-Delhi bus had its windows shattered near Sirhind.

In light of these attacks, the Himachal Pradesh government has temporarily suspended 10 HRTC routes to the Hoshiarpur region of Punjab and has mandated that no HRTC buses be parked overnight in Punjab until safety assurances are provided.

Authorities are also engaging with the Punjab government to enhance protection for interstate transport. Himachal Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who oversees transport, condemned the assaults, emphasizing that HRTC is not involved in political or religious issues and called for swift legal action against those responsible.