The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has temporarily halted bus services to Tamil Nadu following incidents of stone pelting.
Around 7am on Monday, KSRTC suspended all bus services between the two states. KSRTC has 450 trips scheduled every day between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, KSRTC PRO, Lata told The News Minute.
There is heavy police deployment at border areas, especially Attibele and Chamarajnagar, where many buses cross. About 60 buses headed towards Tamil Nadu from across the state have been held up in Chamarajnagar, after KSRTC ordered that services be suspended.
Courtesy: ANI
“Miscreants on motor bikes pelted stones at a bus which was coming back to Bengaluru from Chennai on Sunday night. The rear wind screen was shattered. There were around 50 people in the bus and none of them were harmed,” said KSRTC’s Administrative Officer Divakar.
Services were suspended after stones were pelted at another bus returning from Chennai on Monday morning.
“Buses have been stopped from plying temporarily until further notice. Two buses had already left for Tamil Nadu at around 6.30 am but services of all buses were stopped from 7 am. We do not know what the situation is going to be like and cannot say definitely when the services will resume,” Divakar added.
The US Consulate General in Chennai also issued an advisory on Monday urging its citizens to review their “personal security plans” and remain “aware of surroundings”, due to the tense situation in Tamil Nadu.
The statement cautioned US citizens not to be in areas of demonstrations as “even gatherings intended to be peaceful” can turn “confrontational and escalate into violence”.
It asked its citizens to maintain a “high level of vigilance” and monitor news updates from local media.
The same advisory by the Consulate said that the Chennai consulate has temporarily suspended routine appointments and will operate with reduced staffing.