GUWAHATI, March 4 � Aggrieved bus drivers and a section of general public resorted to a road blockade in Jalukbari intersection resulting in traffic snarls for over two hours in the entry points. Police even had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and restore vehicular movement.
The incident took place when a traffic police constable Dipen Sarma allegedly manhandled a bus driver after some altercation. Another section claims that the bus driver was not adhering to the traffic rules, which eventually led to the altercation.
The bus driver sustained serious injuries on his face sparking protest by hundreds of people demanding action against the police personnel in question. The bus was coming from Baihata Chariali towards Guwahati. The protest was threatening to take an ugly turn and security forces were rushed to the spot on time to avert any untoward incident.
Sarma was later arrested and forwarded to judicial custody by the Court, a senior police official told this reporter.
It needs mention that the police for the last few days have intensified its drive against buses with no permits to enter Guwahati, which has reportedly not gone down well with a section of bus owners and drivers.
Those travelling through the route had to undergo a harrowing time with the vehicular traffic coming to a standstill for over two hours. Not just private vehicles, even the long-distance buses got stuck in the jam for more than over two hours.
�The situation was even worse yesterday. Due to some reasons, the traffic movement was largely affected since the afternoon on Monday. The police personnel on duty failed to ease the traffic jam till late night,� a local trader alleged.
Police said that yesterday�s snarl was caused after a vehicle broke down on the middle of the road.
