SRINAGAR: Police have reportedly arrested one person in the killing of a bus driver. The driver died after his head was hit by a stone and he lost control of his vehicle and hit the divider.
Two drivers were hit by stones on April 9. While one dead, another is recovering in the hospital.
Ali Mohammed Dagga (55) died soon after he was hit by a stone during the clashes in Tengpora bypass, police said. The resident of Qamarabad Barthana, Dugga was the only bread earner of the family that lives in tin shed. Dagga is survived with two unmarried daughters, a son and his wife.
Ghulam Mohammad Wagay, the bus owner who used to accompany Dugga as a conductor, said they had been hired by CRPF for polling duty.
Wagay said they were driving towards Chanpora from Parimpora when they were attacked on byepass. “We wanted to follow CRPF but they overtook us and we took the Bus Stand route,” Wagay was quoted saying.
Wagay said the first stone hit the windowpane damaging it completely. “We increased the speed to run away from the spot but another stone directly hit Ali’s head and he completely lost the control on vehicle and we almost overturned with the bus,” Wagay said.
Later, two youth on bike, after they heard Wagay crying, came to their help. They took both, driver and conductor, to nearby hospital where doctors declared Dugga brought dead.
Confirming the details, the police said they have already registered a case (FIR 45) and the investigations have started. He refused to offer details about the progress, if any. Reports suggest that one person was arrested in the case but police is tight-lipped.
“This is not the only case of April 9,” the police officer said. “We have another case in which a driver is critically injured and is currently admitted in the SKIMS. The only difference between the two cases is that Dugga was hired for poll duty and the other one was driving on his own. Why do not you ask about that case?”
