On Wednesday, Haryana Roadways buses were inoperative due to a strike by employees protesting the killing of a bus driver in Ambala earlier in the week, causing significant inconvenience to passengers on Bhai Dooj.
The strike, initiated by employees seeking the arrest of the assailants and compensation for the victim\’s family, concluded Wednesday night after a meeting between the employees and Haryana Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma in Chandigarh. Following the meeting, Minister Sharma assured that normal services would resume from Wednesday night itself.
The bus driver, 51-year-old Rajveer, lost his life after an attack by unidentified assailants in Ambala on Sunday night. The assailants, reportedly four to five occupants of a car, assaulted Rajveer, who was on parking duty, following an argument. Injured, he was taken to the Civil Hospital of Ambala Cantonment and later referred to the PGIMER in Chandigarh, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Rajveer, a resident of Sonipat posted at the Ambala Cantonment Bus Stand, will be laid to rest in his native village on Thursday morning.
Following the meeting with the Haryana Roadways Employees Sanjha Union, Minister Sharma stated that the state government stood with the deceased driver\’s family. He announced that the driver\’s son would be offered a government job based on his qualifications, and financial assistance would be provided to the family. The accused in the case had been apprehended.
Throughout the day, protesting employees held dharnas at various bus stands, including Yamunanagar, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Sonipat, Sirsa, Hisar, and Narnaul, demanding the arrest of the assailants, ₹50 lakh compensation for Rajveer\’s family, and a government job for one of his family members.
The strike left passengers stranded at bus stands, with many resorting to private operators due to the absence of roadways buses. Some expressed frustrations about difficulties in commuting and the need to seek alternatives.