Maharashtra's Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has announced the suspension of bus services operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to Karnataka following an assault on one of their buses in Chitradurga, Karnataka. The incident occurred on Friday night when pro-Kannada activists attacked a Bengaluru-Mumbai MSRTC bus. The bus driver, Bhaskar Jadhav, was assaulted and had his face blackened.
Minister Sarnaik condemned the attack and stated that bus services will remain suspended until the Karnataka government offers assurances regarding the safety of Maharashtra's transport staff and passengers.
Abhijit Bhosale, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of MSRTC, confirmed that all state transport buses from Kolhapur to Karnataka are on hold indefinitely as per the minister’s directive.