Seat dispute triggers attack on passenger bus

Indore: A dispute over a bus seat escalated into violence on Wednesday night when a group of men allegedly stopped an Indore-Burhanpur passenger bus in Khandwa district, assaulted the driver and staff, and pelted stones at the vehicle, triggering panic among passengers.

The incident occurred near Dulhar Fata under Pandhana police station limits. According to police, the argument began inside a Yadav Travels bus that was going from Indore to Burhanpur. Former Umarda village sarpanch Dharmendra Singh and two associates were reportedly occupying a four-seater row when the bus helper asked them to vacate a seat to accommodate other passenger.

The request led to an altercation between the helper and the passengers, which soon escalated into a heated exchange. Eyewitnesses said that the argument intensified and allegedly involved verbal abuse and jostling inside the bus. During the dispute, the former sarpanch is alleged to have called acquaintances and asked them to gather near Dulhar Fata.

Around 9 pm, when the bus reached Dulhar Fata, a group of people allegedly stopped the vehicle and surrounded it. The driver was reportedly dragged out and assaulted, while the conductor and helper were also beaten. The attackers then allegedly pelted stones at the bus, shattering several front windowpanes. The sudden attack caused chaos inside the bus. It was stranded at the location for nearly an hour as the situation remained tense.

Pandhana police station in-charge Dilip Devda reached the spot along with a police team and Dial-112 personnel. The order was restored and the bus was allowed to continue its journey to Burhanpur.

Police said that preliminary inquiries confirmed that a dispute over seating arrangements led to the confrontation and that the bus suffered damage during the incident. No serious injuries were reported. Officials added that neither side submitted a formal written complaint.