HP government orders magisterial inquiry into yesterday's clash

Shimla, Mar 6 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh government today ordered a magisterial inquiry into a clash between the members of two rival truck unions at Bilaspur district of the state yesterday in which one person was killed and several others injured.

''The attack on the Bilaspur Operators was totally ''unwarranted'' and stringent action would be taken against those found guilty in the inquiry,'' he told at a press conference here.

One person was killed and several injured, two policemen seriously, after members of the Nangal Truck Operators Union and the Bilaspur Truck Operators Society clashed over the opening of an office at Golthai in the district.

Mr Singh said the state government was not in favour of truck operators from the neighbouring states opening offices in Himachal territory, adding that the interests of local operators should be protected.

The Una district administration has sounded a high alert in the areas bordering the Nangal township, where one Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus was set on fire late last night after members of two rival truck union members clashed over the opening of an office at Golthai in Bilaspur district.

An HRTC bus plying from Chandigarh to Jasur was set on fire at Dher village near Nangal. Later, two more buses of the HRTC, one plying from Nalagarh to Una and another from Mahilpur to Una via Nangal were damaged. The passengers, however, escaped unhurt.

HRTC Una regional manager confirmed the damages to the HRTC buses, saying that FIRs have been lodged at Nangal and Anandpur Sahib police stations.

He said state transport buses on the Delhi-Una-Dharamsala highway were being diverted via Nurpur Bedi to avoid Nangal on the route.

Una DSP Pritam Thakur said police was maintaining strict vigil in the areas surrounding Nangal, adding that the situation was under control.

Mehatpur and Santoshgarh SHOs have been asked to remain alert and to continue monitoring the situation to prevent any untoward incident.

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