Kathmandu, November 5:

Traffic in the Kalanki area came to a complete halt from morning to afternoon today after 150-odd drivers protested against the beating of a Sajha bus driver at Gaushala and police alleged ‘indifference’ toward the incident. Drivers blocked traffic by placing around 150 Sajha buses and micro buses on the middle of the road. The blockade also affected the movement of the vehicles coming in and going out of the Valley for eight hours. The blockade started at 7 am today.

According to Achyut Rijal, vice-president of Valley Swoyambhu Bus Entrepreneurs’ Association, a group of around 10 persons severely beat up Bhagawat Prasad Dahal, driver of a Sajha Bus with plate number Ba 2 Kha 735, after Dahal denied to stop the bus when they asked for it.

Dahal said that the persons were pick pockets.

“I didn’t stop the bus to let them get on as they were known pick pockets,” Dahal said. The

pickpockets came all the way from Sinamangal on taxi and beat up the driver at Gaushala.

“Driver and other staffers of the bus reached Maharajgunj Ward Police Office to ask the police to search for the pick pockets and punish them. But, police inspector Ramesh Thapa told them that they could do nothing as Gaushala was not his area,” Rijal said. The blockade was cleared after the police assured them of searching for the culprits and punish them, during talks held between the police and bus entrepreneurs this afternoon.