Bus Syndicates Demand Fare Hike During Protest Rally, 40 Held

Kolkata, Nov 1 (PTI) Around 40 people were arrested for disrupting public order during a bare-chested protest rally organised by the Joint Council of Bus Syndicates on Thursday to press for immediate hike in bus fares, police said.

A total of 40 people were taken to Lalbazar Central lock-up and later released on bail, an officer of Hare Street police station said.

He said around 200 persons took out the protest rally in which some of the participants took of their shirts while walking along Lenin Sarani, the officer said.

The group were stopped at Dorina Crossing, where they were taken into custody, he said.

The arrests were made as the rally caused public disorder and there was no prior permission to hold such a protest, the officer said.

Secretary of the syndicate Tapan Bandyopadhyay alleged that police carried out lathicharge on the protesters at Dorina crossing and many suffered injuries.

Bandyopadhyay also claimed that around 1,000 people, including bus owners from the city and districts, and some employees, participated in the rally and among them, only a few took off their shirts.

"Our bare-chested protest was symbolic to show how fuel price hike will starve everyone to death. But, it was absolutely peaceful and the police suddenly attacked us as we sat on the road at Dorina crossing," he said.

The syndicate will organise a convention on November 21 to protest against the alleged excesses by the police during Thursday's rally and take a decision on the future course of action, he added.

The association had earlier called for a three-day movement from October 29-31 to operate buses only during office hours, but that failed to yield much response.

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