Bharat Bandh: Angry mobs attack buses, Ahmedabad Municipal Transport services suspended

The local civic authority on Monday suspended public transport services after Dalit protestors tried to torch a few vehicles. A few Dalit organisations had called a bandh to protest against the alleged dilution of SC/ST Act. The decision to suspend services was taken after a few vehicles were damaged by angry mob during first half of the day.

The first incident took place around midnight when a bus was attacked by a group of protestors who tried to set in on fire at Butbhavani area around 12.45 am. The vehicle was severely damaged in the incident. After the incident, 10 AMTS (Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service) buses were diverted as precautionary measure in the morning, and by noon around 40 buses were diverted or stopped altogether.

"The first incident was reported around midnight where a mob tried to torch a bus, however, the calamity was prevented," said Jitendra Mehta, director of traffic, AMTS. "Later on, several incidents of buses being damaged were reported. A total of nine incidents were reported where buses were vandalised and protestors damaged windows of the buses." Protestors also deflated tyres of 32 buses.

SERVICES HIT

After several incidents of vandalism were reported, the civic authority decided to stop public transport services around 2pm. While AMTS suspended their bus services, BRTS buses were operational for only a few hours on the same day.