Stone pelting incidents on buses amid transport strike

Kolar: Tensions flared at the Kolar bus stand early Tuesday morning after miscreants pelted stones at stationary KSRTC buses, damaging their windows. The incident occurred shortly after officials deployed a few buses to restore limited service amid the ongoing transport employees' strike. Eyewitnesses said the attack happened as soon as the buses arrived at the depot.

Another bus traveling via the Harati route from Kolar was also targeted, with unidentified individuals hurling stones before fleeing the scene. Senior police officials, including SP Nikhil B and Divisional Controller Srinath, visited the spot and have tightened security at the bus stand.

In a separate incident, a bus en route from Hubballi to Hosapete via Gadag was attacked near the town. The front windshield was shattered when masked individuals on a bike threw stones at the moving vehicle and escaped.

The bus, belonging to the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), was immediately taken off the route and parked at the Gadag central bus stand.

A similar case was reported near Masabanchinal in Koppal district. A KSRTC bus heading from Yalburga to Bengaluru late at night was targeted. The windshield was shattered in the attack, and the driver was forced to return the bus to the depot, leaving several passengers stranded overnight.These incidents have raised concerns over passenger safety during the strike, even as KSRTC and BMTC management continue appeals to employees to respect the High Court order and return to work. Police have stepped up security across key bus stations in affected districts.