Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 10:00 [IST]
Last Update: Wednesday, Apr 22, 2026 17:00 [IST]
SILIGURI, : Angry passengers vandalised the ticket counter at Tenzing Norgay Bus
Terminus in Siliguri on Wednesday after waiting in long queues for hours to
board buses to return home ahead of the elections.
Thousands
of passengers, including women and students, had gathered at the terminus since
early morning hoping to travel to various parts of North Bengal before the
first phase of the Assembly polls on Thursday. However, a shortage of buses led
to long delays, leaving many stranded.
As
hours passed without adequate bus services and with no clear information about
the shortage, tempers flared among the waiting passengers. The situation soon
escalated, with a section of the crowd vandalising ticket counters and shouting
at officials and staff.
The
premises briefly resembled a battlefield as the unrest intensified. Police
later intervened and brought the situation under control.
Officials
said the shortage of buses was due to a large number of vehicles being
requisitioned for election duty. RanjitDasgupta, an official at the terminus,
said that some passengers damaged computers at the ticket counter and other
property during the incident.
