Karnataka transport strike: 126 buses damaged

More than one lakh employees of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) in Karnataka have launched an indefinite strike against the government demanding a 35% salary hike. However, the government is in no mood to offer more than a 10% increment.

In the ongoing strike, so far 30 Northwest Transports buses have been pelted with stones, 63 KSRTC buses have been majorly damaged, and four BMTC buses have been attacked, taking the total of loss of property to ₹12 lakh.

Most of the buses have been damaged in Hassan and Arakalgud taluk. Buses en route Mangaluru, Dharmasthala and Kukke Subramanya from Bengaluru have also been the target of attacks. 

So far, two KSRTC employees have been arrested by the Bengaluru police for vandalism.

Additional police personnel have been deployed at sensitive places in Bengaluru. Commuters to distant places have been stranded at various bus stations all day.