Dhubri: Six night buses bound for Mankachar were allegedly attacked with stones in Meghalaya’s Naguapara early Monday, injuring four crew members.The incident occurred around 3 am as the buses passed through Naguapara under Tikrikilla police station. Unidentified persons allegedly targeted the buses one after another.The front windscreens of three buses were completely smashed, while the windows and front glass of the other three were partially damaged, according to reports.Four drivers and helpers, including driver Bashidur Rahman and helper Amzad Ali, were injured and received medical attention.Bashidur Rahman told TOI, “We suddenly came under a heavy barrage of stones. The passengers panicked, and there was chaos inside the buses. We had no option but to speed up and leave the area as quickly as possible.”Amzad said, “The attack happened suddenly, and we could not identify the persons involved. We were worried that the situation might escalate, so we drove towards Tikrikilla police station and stayed there for the safety of the passengers.”The buses travelled for around four kilometres before reaching Tikrikilla police station, where the drivers and crew reported the incident. Police later visited the spot but found no suspects.A preliminary police investigation suggests robbery may have been the motive. No arrests had been reported till Monday evening, and the attackers remained at large, police said.Residents of South Salmara-Mankachar said some youths allegedly create trouble late at night, including robbing passengers and attacking them with sharp weapons when they resist. They said the problem was related to law and order, not politics, and urged Assam and Meghalaya police to jointly escort night buses along the route.Tikrikilla police have launched an investigation. The attackers’ identities and the exact motive were not known at the time of filing this report.Night buses between South Salmara-Mankachar and Guwahati regularly use the Meghalaya route, the principal road link between the two places. Past allegations of robbery and passenger looting have raised concerns over night travel.(With inputs from Manosh Das)
