Investigation suggests robbery plot; three suspects identified, one arrested
Srinagar, Oct 24 : Police have ruled out a communal motive in the stone-pelting incident involving a Kashmir-bound bus in Punjab’s Khanna district, saying the attack was allegedly part of a robbery plot targeting vehicles travelling on roads at night.
The incident took place near Doraha on the night of October 18, when unidentified persons allegedly pelted stones at a bus heading towards Kashmir. No one was injured, although the stones damaged the vehicle’s front windshield and an emergency window.
The Khanna Police had registered a case against unidentified persons on October 19.
Investigators initially examined the possibility of a hate crime after the bus operators pointed to a similar stone-pelting incident involving a bus belonging to the same company near Karnal in Haryana a day earlier.
However, Deputy Superintendent of Police H S Cheema speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) said a detailed investigation, including the examination of CCTV footage and technical evidence, found no link between the two incidents and no evidence of a religious motive.
Police have identified three suspects in connection with the incident, including Abhishek, a native of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh who is currently residing in Doraha. One accused has been arrested, officials said.
According to police, the suspects allegedly targeted moving vehicles by pelting them with stones, hoping to force drivers to stop. They would then allegedly take advantage of the situation to commit thefts or snatching.
Khanna Senior Superintendent of Police Darpan Ahluwalia said the accused and his associates had gathered on Sunday evening and had a verbal altercation with the owner of a dhaba in Doraha.
Following the argument, they allegedly pelted stones at two trucks and a bus to prevent the vehicles from stopping at the eatery, she said.
Truck drivers also reported the incident, strengthening the police investigation into the alleged activities of the group, the SSP added.
Police said further investigation into the case was underway. (KNS)
