Irate commuters vandalise bus, injure cop in south Delhi, 6 held

New Delhi, Dec 31 Angry over being denied aboard a bus due to the 50 per cent occupancy limit in the national capital, a group of people on Thursday morning blocked a road and vandalised buses following which six people were arrested and a minor detained, police said.

Of the six arrested, four are male and 2 females. Another minor girl was apprehended. A case has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

Additional District Commissioner of Police, South, Harsh Vardhan said that at around 8.15 a.m., several calls regarding traffic jams by public near Jamia Hamdard on MB Road were received and a police team was dispatched to the spot.

According to the police, when the team reached the spot, they found that some bus commuters were instigating other people to sit on the road as the bus drivers and marshals were not allowing more passengers aboard due to the latest guidelines.

"The police tried to convince the agitated public to allow the traffic to pass but in vain," he said.

After sometime, the protesters began vandalism, breaking window panes of 4-5 buses and in order to bring the situation under control, the protesters were removed with help of women police staff, amid a scuffle.

"No incident of lathi charge or force was used. In the process, one police person also sustained injury," the official said.

The conductor of one of the vandalised buses said that even on Wednesday, people were angry and were forcibly trying to get inside the bus, but, things turned violent on Thursday.

The city is currently under a yellow alert in the wake of a spike in the number of Covid cases and the fear of spread of the Omicron variant. Since the imposition of the new curbs, the commuters in Delhi are facing a harrowing time as long queues could be seen everyday outside Metro stations and bus stops.

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