Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Jan 24: The passenger buses of Kathua route and Banihal route in Kathua district went on strike and did not ply on the various routes in protest against the harassment meted out to a bus driver involved in a road accident in the town on January 5.
The irate bus operators protested against the Kathua Police harassment to the bus driver who ran over a motorcyclist whose two wheeler was hit by a car and it skidded on the road and the bus which was coming behind over ran him resulting in instant death of motorcyclist who was identified as Rishav Khajuria.
The police arrested a person Sohan Singh resident of Kathua as bus driver on the spot. But the Bus Union declared him as bus assistant who was innocent as the bus driver fled away from the site after accident.
The passengers on the route faced trouble as no bus on Kathua-Jammu route and Kathua -Basholi- Bani- Billawar route moved on the road. The Kathua Bus Union also held a protest demonstration against the Kathua Police for harassing a bus assistant in road accident case. The Kuldeep Singh, president of Bus Union Kathua alleged that during a road accident, Kathua Police arrested the bus assistant instead of erring driver. After repeated deputations with Kathua Police it did not yield the fruit the Bus Union decide to go on strike.
The Bus Union also convened a meeting with DIG Ashore Wane in Kathua today.
They demanded to release the innocent bus assistant immediately. The Kuldeep Singh Bus Union President said that DIG assured to release the innocent bus assistant and arrest of accused driver; They warned that in case the issue was not settled the strike would continue.
On the other side Kathua police registered a case under section 279, 304 A and produce the Sohan Singh before court and got ten days police remand for him.
The Additional SP Kathua Khalil Postal said that a fair inquiry will be initiated into the matter to know about the real bus driver who is responsible for accident and under what circumstance the accident took place. The legal process is being followed by the police, he added.
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