Bus Services affected due to the Chittoor encounter

Following protests in Tamil Nadu over a police operation against Red Sanders smugglers in Chittoor where 20 people were gunned down, Andhra-Tamil Nadu buses have taken a hit.

Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation's Tirupati Regional Manager G Maheshwara said that the buses are not operating from and to Chennai or other places of Tamil Nadu since last night.

Almost 150 bus services particularly from Chittoor have been stopped and discussions are taking place with Tamil Nadu police for restoring the services informed APSRTC officials.

On Tuesday, due to heavy stone pelting incidents in Tamil Nadu, the APSRTC bus services were disrupted. The Red Sanders smugglers gun down came under severe attack from the government and political parties in neighbouring Tamil Nadu that claimed 12 victims were labourers from their state.

However, AP Police claimed that the task force and forest personnel during a joint combing operation witnessed over 200 red sanders woodcutters involved in felling trees. When asked to surrender, they attacked the police and forest personnel, injuring six policemen; many fled the scene when police fired in retaliation and 20 of the smugglers were killed.