Kaithal, January 8
As many as 24 Roadways employees, including Mr Pahal Singh, president of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union, Kaithal Depot, drivers of private buses standing at the local bus stand and more than 10 maxi-cab owners reportedly suffered injuries and eight Haryana Roadways buses and 30 private maxi-cabs were damaged in heavy stone-throwing both inside and outside the local bus stand here today.

The clash between the maxi-cab drivers and the local Roadways employees resulted in total suspension of bus service from Kaithal to other towns. Hundreds of passengers were left stranded for hours and ultimately left for their destinations either by Roadways buses which did not enter the bus stand or through other modes of transport.

Trouble began at about 12.30 pm today when the local maxi-cab drivers proceeding to the office of the Deputy Commissioner stopped outside the local bus stand and reportedly started raising slogans against the GM of the Kaithal depot, accusing him of challaning their vehicles arbitrarily. The staff of the local Roadways depot gathered at the main gates of the bus stand and stone-throwing started from both the factions. The small police force accompanying the maxi-cab owners’ procession was caught unawares and the maxi-cab owners allegedly damaged some windowpanes of buses entering or leaving the bus stand.

The Roadways employees then allegedly damaged about 30 maxi-cabs which were lined outside the bus stand and were part of the procession .Many shopkeepers closed their shops following the stone-throwing.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Agarwal, and the SP, Mr Sukhdev Singh, sent Mr Sanjay Rai, SDM, and Mr Rajkumar Vashishth, DSP, to the spot to control the situation. When these officials reached the bus stand, the brick-batting was still going on. Mr Rai succeeded in separating the two factions.

Mr Pahal Singh was seriously injured and rushed to the Civil Hospital here and later referred to the PGI, Chandigarh.

Till the filing of this report, the bus service from Kaithal to Chandigarh, Delhi and other towns of the state could not be resumed as the roadways employees were demanding arrest of the Maxi-Cab owners who were involved in attacking their staff. They also demanded an inquiry into the incident by the ADC.

The SDM persuaded the Maxi-Cab owners to meet the Deputy Commissioner and the SP in the office of the Deputy Commissioner to put up their demands. It is reported that the maxi-cab owners demanded action against the roadways staff and compensation for their damaged vehicles.