BELAGAVI, CHIKKODI: With the border tensions between Karnataka and Maharashtra flaring up and vehicles being targeted, bus services to the neighbouring state have been suspended on the advise of the police.
On Wednesday, about 400 buses from Belagavi district were not run, according to NWKRTC divisional controller K K Lamani. From Belagavi, 80 buses were to be run, but have been suspended till evening. From the Chikkodi depot, 250 buses were terminated at the border, NWKRTC divisional controller Shashidhar said.
On Tuesday, a bus parked at the Kudala bus depot in Maharashtra was defaced with ‘Jai Maharashtra’ graffiti by activists of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS). About 40-50 KSRTC buses are parked at the depot. The drivers and conductors have lodged complaints. Two of the MSRTC buses in Belagavi are, however, safe, said Lamani. He also said that the Belagavi division alone has suffered losses of Rs 15-20 lakh so far.
Lamani added that with temple fairs happening at the Yellamma temple in Saudatti, Veerabhadreshwara temple in Godachi, and the ongoing wedding season, passengers have been put to inconvenience. Also, the staff are hesitant, given the tense atmosphere, he added.
Meanwhile, the police have registered suo motu cases against 8-12 unnamed activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) in connection with the stone-throwing and number plate blackening yesterday at the Hirebagewadi tollgate.
On the other side of the border, the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena mocked the Maharashtra ministers for cancelling their visit to Belagavi by staging a protest with bangles, vermillion and turmeric.
The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) too released a video statement targeting the BJP central leadership for the imbroglio.