A Star World Ventures bus carrying passengers from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir was struck by a barrage of stones near the Butana police station area in Karnal, Haryana, on October 18, leaving an elderly man with injuries and shattering windows, tail lights and the license plate of the vehicle. The attack unfolded after a road dispute erupted between a bus passenger and occupants of a nearby vehicle, both of whom had reportedly consumed alcohol; neither party has yet filed a formal complaint. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X, urging Haryana’s chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and police to pursue the culprits and guarantee such incidents do not recur, while National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar joined the call for accountability. Investigators have taken suo‑motu cognisance of the matter, have reached out to the bus operators and passengers, and are urging them to file detailed complaints; meanwhile, the bus resumed its journey to Srinagar after the damage was assessed. The incident has sparked a broader conversation on road safety, the prevalence of alcohol‑related violence, and the need for stronger enforcement along high‑traffic routes between Delhi and the northern states.