A group of armed miscreants robbed a PRTC bus in broad daylight on the Jalandhar- Sultanpur Lodhi route on Friday, threatening the staff and creating panic among passengers.
The incident took place near Kularan, where three-four individuals arrived in a white Honda City car close to the Mothanwala police post.
The PRTC bus, which operates daily from Jalandhar to Sultanpur Lodhi via the Sidhwan Dona-Mothanwala route, was carrying around 10 to 15 passengers when it was attacked at 12:30 pm.
The driver of the PRTC bus (no. PB 08 D – G 5859), Pavitar Singh, said, “Certain men near Kuralan, in an older model Honda City car, signalled the bus to stop, but we didn’t since it’s not a designated stop. They persisted and blocked our path with their car, forcing open the bus doors. Then two of them, brandishing long knives and sickles, banged weapons on the bus floor and bonnet and snatched the conductor’s money bag, took money from it, and then fled. We travel daily on this route even at night. This poses a huge risk not just to us but also to our passengers."
Conductor Malkit Singh said they were on their routine trip when three to four individuals blocked the bus's path.
"Two of them forced their way inside, carrying a sickle and demanding money. I handed over Rs 200, but they snatched around Rs 900-1,200 from my bag," he said.
He added that during the incident, one of the accused revealed his identity and threatened that if passengers or bus riders told anyone, they would have to face the consequences. After the incident, the accused fled the scene.
The bus staff immediately drove to the Mothanwala police station and lodged a written complaint. Following this, the Kapurthala police registered an FIR against three assailants under Sections 309 (3) (robbery), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS.
DSP Hargurdev Singh said, “The daily income of the conductor was looted by the assailants who entered the bus. An FIR has been registered against three robbers, and the accused are being traced. We are currently raiding their establishments, and the police are on the lookout."
The police said, as per preliminary investigation, one of the robbers also has previous cases of loot and snatching against him.