Gurpreet Singh :- A road accident involving a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus and a car led to a violent altercation in Parwanoo, with the bus driver and conductor allegedly being assaulted by a group of tourists from Punjab.
The incident occurred on the Parwanoo bypass when an HRTC bus belonging to the Rampur depot was travelling towards Ambala. According to officials, the bus driver slowed down near a speed breaker and applied brakes, following which a car travelling behind reportedly rammed into the vehicle.
The collision soon triggered an argument between the occupants of the car and the HRTC staff. The dispute escalated rapidly, and the tourists allegedly abused and physically attacked the bus driver and conductor. Eyewitnesses said the confrontation continued even after police personnel reached the spot.
Following the incident, the bus conductor lodged a formal complaint at the Parwanoo police station. Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case and initiated an investigation into the matter.
HRTC Regional Manager Pradeep Thakur confirmed that the corporation had taken note of the incident and sought appropriate action. He said the matter had been reported to the police and was being dealt with as per law.
DSP Parwanoo Anil Sharma said the vehicle involved in the incident had been taken into custody and all aspects of the case were being examined. He added that further action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of public transport employees while on duty and the growing instances of road-rage-related violence on busy highways.
