LUDHIANA: Khanna Police has registered a case against unidentified persons after a stone was thrown at a Kashmir-bound bus near Doraha in Ludhiana on Sunday night.No one was injured in the incident, although a window of the bus was damaged.The bus belongs to the same operator whose vehicle was attacked with bricks following a parking dispute near Karnal.The latest incident took place around 11.15 pm when unidentified person(s) allegedly threw stones at the bus in front of a private hospital in the Doraha area.Sources said one stone allegedly hit the front windshield, while another struck an emergency window, triggering panic among passengers.SP (Investigations), Khanna, Rakesh Yadav said police received information through the 112 helpline around 11.15 pm and “immediately” rushed to the spot. He said the bus, which had left Delhi around 4 pm and was headed to Srinagar, was escorted by police through the Khanna police jurisdiction as a precautionary measure.A police official said a stone was thrown at the left side of the bus, where passengers were seated, causing a crack in the window. He added that police had recorded the bus driver’s statement and registered an FIR.The SP said police were probing whether the two incidents, including the one in Haryana, were connected.Police sources said investigators suspected the latest attack could be linked to the earlier dispute, rivalry among private transporters or the involvement of the same miscreants.The SP said Khanna Police were coordinating with their Haryana counterparts as part of the investigation. He added that the SSP had constituted a digital and technical team to identify those involved, while the DSP was personally monitoring the probe.The officer said police had also alerted stations along the route and ensured that the bus proceeded safely towards Srinagar. He added that all passengers were safe and that the accused would be arrested soon.Passengers recalled being frightened by the incident.Mudassir, a resident of Bemina who was travelling on the bus, told TOI that around 40 passengers were on board, including five to 10 from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The passengers included students, businessmen and professionals. He added that around 11.30 pm, a few passengers raised the alarm, saying someone had thrown a stone at the bus, leaving everyone frightened.Mudassir said passengers were so scared after the incident that they were unwilling to let the bus proceed without security. He added that Khanna Police later escorted the bus through their jurisdiction. He suggested that the two incidents could be linked, questioning why miscreants would target a Kashmir-bound bus when several other buses ply on the same route.
