An attack on a Srinagar-bound bus allegedly by two persons, leaving an elderly passenger injured in Haryana's Kurukshetra area, has snowballed into a major controversy, with leaders of separatist groups and mainstream political parties describing the incident as a hate crime.

The Haryana Police, however, said the incident involving a Jammu and Kashmir-bound private bus in Karnal followed an altercation between a passenger and two local men over giving way, with all three allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

The luxury bus, operated by Kashmir-based Star World Ventures, was travelling from Delhi to Srinagar with nearly 40 passengers when it was attacked at around 10.45 pm near Divine Star Dhaba.

According to the driver and passengers, unidentified men abused the driver and then hurled stones and bricks at the bus. The windowpanes and tail lights were smashed, and broken glass scattered across the sleeping berths. One passenger said the bricks were thrown with such force that they tore through the compartments.

The driver alleged that the leader of the group called the passengers terrorists and threatened not to allow vehicles from Jammu and Kashmir to operate in Haryana. An elderly passenger suffered facial injuries, and videos circulated on social media showed him bleeding.

Two persons allegedly involved in smashing window panes of a Srinagar-bound bus were arrested by Haryana Policesocial media

The Karnal Police, however, gave a different account of the incident. They registered an FIR and detained two men, identified as Mohit and Sawan, both residents of Karnal district. The police ruled out a hate-crime angle.

A police spokesperson said the Butana Police Station was informed about the incident around 10 pm on October 17, following which a team reached the spot. The officers found the bus windows damaged. A preliminary inquiry suggested that the bus driver and occupants of a private car had argued over parking. The two accused allegedly smashed the windowpanes during the altercation, leaving one passenger injured.

Reports said no complaint was filed initially because both sides had reportedly reached a compromise, after which the bus continued its journey towards Srinagar. The FIR was registered later on in a complaint by the dhaba manager.

The Maruti Baleno allegedly involved in the incident has been seized, and the police said further legal action was under way. They also urged people not to believe rumours circulating on social media and rejected any communal angle to the incident.

Star World Ventures confirmed the attack. However, at the time of filing this report, the identities and motives of the alleged attackers had not been independently established.

Reaction from mainstream politicians and separatist leaders

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took up the matter with the Haryana government and described the attack as unfortunate. His office said concerns over passenger safety had been raised and that the Haryana government had assured prompt and strict action under the law. In a post on X, Abdullah expressed hope that the Haryana government, led by Nayab Singh Saini, and the state police would apprehend those responsible and ensure that such incidents did not recur.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he was disturbed by the attack and reports of threats against vehicles registered in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the authorities to ensure the safety of Kashmiri travellers. National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar described the incident as a hate crime, saying that families travelling on the bus had been left terrified.

PDP leader Waheed Parra said hatred was making ordinary Kashmiris feel unsafe. He also questioned reports that the police had detained a Kashmiri passenger for nearly two hours after the attack and asked why a victim had been detained. Sajad Gani Lone, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, said the targeting of a vehicle carrying ordinary citizens must not go unchallenged. Rajya Sabha MP Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan termed the stone-pelting incident unacceptable.

BJP leader Zorawar Singh Jamwal described the incident as a serious law-and-order failure and called for swift action against those involved. Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Farooqi demanded an impartial investigation. Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, questioned why Kashmiris should have to fear for their lives simply because their vehicles carried Jammu and Kashmir registration plates.

Kashmir Transporters Federation president Mir Mohammad Shafi said the incident had alarmed transport operators and raised concerns that Kashmiris could face difficulties earning a livelihood outside the Union Territory. He urged the Haryana and Delhi governments to ensure the safety of Kashmiri drivers and passengers.

Haryana Police attribute incident to altercation

Meanwhile, Haryana Police reiterated that the incident resulted from an altercation involving a passenger and two local men over giving way, with all three allegedly having consumed alcohol.

Speaking to reporters in Karnal, Butana Police Station in-charge Vipin Kumar said the police received a call through the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) regarding a dispute involving a private bus parked near Divine Star Dhaba and a car.

Kumar said the two occupants of the car, identified as Mohit and Sawan, residents of Unispur village, were involved in an altercation with a passenger identified as Syed Arfat.

He said the passenger and the two car occupants had consumed alcohol before the altercation, during which three to four windowpanes of the bus were damaged.

"We are investigating against those boys," Kumar said, adding that the police had reviewed CCTV footage showing two men involved in a fight with the bus passenger.

He said the police had repeatedly asked the passenger to submit a formal complaint to facilitate further investigation, but no formal complaint had been received so far.

Kumar also denied any communal or region-specific angle to the incident, saying it was unrelated to the bus being registered in Jammu and Kashmir.

"There was nothing like that. It was a fight between two sides after drinking," he said, urging people to verify facts before sharing videos on social media that could potentially disturb communal harmony.

The police officer acknowledged that a passenger had been injured, although his remarks did not establish the exact circumstances in which the injury occurred. The bus subsequently left the area during the night.