By IANS,
Mumbai: More than 150 BEST buses in Mumbai and 70 state transport buses in Maharashtra were damaged by protesters Monday during the opposition’s nationwide strike against hike in fuel prices.
“A total of 155 buses were damaged during heavy stone pelting at various locations in Mumbai during the strike. Tires of eight buses were deflated,” a BEST spokesman said.
“Seven drivers and two conductors also suffered injuries in the incidences,” he added.
The locations were the stone pelting occurred include Kandivli, Antop Hill, Malvani, Santacruz, Jogeshwari, Parel, Sewree, Bandra, Goregaon, Worli, Mira Road and Nehru Nagar.
Moreover, 69 buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) were also damaged in various parts of Maharashtra. One bus was set on fire by Maoists in Gadchiroli.
“The Naxals (Maoists) took advantage of the strike,” an MSRTC spokesman said.
“The damages to the other buses are close to Rs.12 lakh although there have been no deaths or injuries to any of our drivers or conductors,” he added.
Taxis and autorickshaws remained off roads since the beginning of the strike.