Nearly 3,500 private buses remained off the roads in Punjab as bus operators went on a strike on Saturday to protest against the “haste” shown by police in registering cases against drivers and conductors without proper investigation. The strike comes a day after an FIR was registered against the conductor of New Deep Transport for “misbehaving with two minor girls and intimidating them” at Muktsar Friday. The private bus operators had parked the buses haphazardly 5 am onwards, blocking almost all main roads of cities, inconveniencing those on four-wheelers. Only two-wheelers could cross these roads. Government-run buses, too, had to stop their operations with protesters blocking the bus stands. Only 300-400 government buses could be taken out of the bus stands. The strike was, however, lifted around 3 pm when Muktsar police assured the protesters that they would complete the inquiry related to the FIR lodged against the conductor of New Deep Transport by May 21 and will punish the complainant in case found guilty. Nearly 2,500 government-run buses started plying after the strike was lifted.
