Two racing minibuses bore the brunt of mob fury on Friday after a pedestrian was knocked down by one of them on a busy thoroughfare in south Calcutta.

The incident took place on Asutosh Mukherjee Road around 2pm. Enraged traders and residents first stoned both buses — plying on Dhakuria-BBD Bag and Boral-Howrah routes. They then tried to set the BBD Bag-bound bus on fire, but were stopped by a team from Bhowanipore police station.

A pedestrian in his late-20s, identified as Ram Singh, was injured in his head and hands and was taken to SSKM Hospital by some residents. His condition was stable. The drivers of both buses fled after the mishap.

Ramesh Nag, a witness, said the driver of the BBD Bag-bound bus lost control over his vehicle after overtaking the other bus, which was plying in the same direction.

“The bus veered to the left and hit Singh, who was standing on the pavement. It was a close shave,” Nag said.

“After the youth was hit, local traders and residents came running to the spot. Seeing the drivers flee, they turned violent. The mob smashed the windscreens of both buses. Some of them broke open the fuel tank of the Dhakuria-BBD Bag bus and sprinkled fuel on the seats. But the police arrived before they could set the bus on fire,” said Tauquir Ahmed, a resident.

In another incident, a pedestrian in his early 30s was knocked down by a Matador on Galiff Street on Thursday night. Kausal Singh, the victim, was admitted to RG Kar Medical College and hospital. The driver has been arrested.