KSRTC buses bear the brunt of violent protests

Transport services hit as protesters target buses; a majority of incidents reported in D.K. Shivakumar’s home town Kanakapura

September 04, 2019 11:17 pm | Updated 11:17 pm IST - Bengaluru

FILE PHOTO: People holding mobile phones are silhouetted against a backdrop projected with the Twitter logo in this illustration picture taken September 27, 2013. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: People holding mobile phones are silhouetted against a backdrop projected with the Twitter logo in this illustration picture taken September 27, 2013. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo

Violent protests that broke out in the State after the arrest of Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar — especially in Old Mysore region — forced the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to cancel bus services in Ramanagaram district on Wednesday. The Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was also affected for some time, with the road blocked at several points.

The protesters pelted stones at 15 KSRTC buses and torched one bus in the district. A majority of the violent incidents were reported in Kanakapura, the home town of Mr. Shivakumar. Many places saw Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) workers protesting together, especially in Mandya district.

Participating in a protest in Mysuru, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described the arrest as “vendetta politics” and said the people of the State were watching the developments and would “teach a befitting lesson” to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He went on to describe the arrest as a “ploy to finish the Opposition.”

Protests were held at Maurya Circle in Bengaluru, in which KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao participated. In some places, the agitating Congressmen burnt tyres and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, and other leaders of the BJP.

Loss incurred

The Ramanagaram division of the KSRTC incurred a loss of ₹13.71 lakh owing to the damage to buses. The services operated between Bengaluru and Mysuru and other parts such as Kollegal and Chamarajanagar were also hit from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., as protesters blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

The officials said that 150 services between Bengaluru and Mysuru were hit till 12.30 p.m. and it resumed after the police cleared traffic on the highway. Some of the services were operated via Magadi and Huliyurdurga to Mysuru and other regions.

The KSRTC buses were targeted in other parts of the State too. A mob pelted stones at two buses in Bengaluru near Navrang theatre and Mourya Circle. In Mangaluru, stones were pelted at a bus near Bunts Hostel.

M. Mahesh, Divisional Controller of KSRTC in Ramanagaram, said: “Based on the directions of the police, we stopped bus services in the district for the entire day. The protesters torched a bus in Chunchi Colony near Kanakapura. The bus had operated between Bengaluru and Kanakapura and was returning to the depot after completing the trip. In another incident, they tried to torch a bus, but failed. We could not operate 450 to 500 bus services in the district owing to violent protests. On Thursday, we will take a call on resuming services after getting clearance from the police.”

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