CHANDIGARH: The Union Home Ministry on Thursday sought a report from the Punjab government on a brutal incident in Moga where a teenager died and her mother was seriously injured after both were molested and thrown off a bus.
Shinder Kaur (36) was travelling with her 14-year-old daughter and her 10-year-old son on a bus belonging to Orbit, a company in which the major share holder is Deputy CM and State Home Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. The three boarded the bus from Landeh village in Moga on Wednesday to visit a gurudwara near Bahagapurana.
Kaur, in her statement to the police, said she sat in the rear of the bus at a window seat. There was some altercation with the conductor and a helper over the ticket fare. Soon after, the bus stopped at the toll barrier and another person known to the conductor boarded the bus.
The three allegedly molested Kaur, and when her teenage daughter protested, she too was molested. Kaur pleaded with the driver to stop the bus, but to no avail, she said, adding that after about 15 minutes, she and her daughter were thrown out from the moving vehicle, while her son remained on the bus.
The woman was picked up by passersby from a road near Gill village with serious injuries and taken to Civil Hospital, Moga, where her condition is stated to be serious. Her daughter was declared dead on arrival.
An eyewitness told police that no one had come to the rescue and that there were not many passengers on the bus when the incident took place.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal admitted that the bus in which the incident took place belonged to his kin’s company. Describing the incident as unfortunate and saddening, Badal said the probe is on.
“Yes, unfortunately, the bus belongs to us, but I have never gone to this company’s office. I will talk to Sukhbir about it,” he said on Thursday.
The MHA has conveyed to the State government that it must take all appropriate steps for the treatment and security of the girl’s mother, who was seriously injured in the incident.
Punjab DGP S S Saini said, “All the four accused, Sukhwinder Singh (conductor), Gurdeep Singh (helper), Ranjit Singh (driver) and Amarjit (assistant conductor) have been arrested.” The four have been booked on murder charges. Harjeet Singh Pannu, SP, Moga, has been deputed to visit Landeke to meet Kaur’s son and ensure his well-being.
The Lok Sabha saw protests from Congress and AAP over the incident. Members of both the parties from Punjab stormed the Well of the House, denouncing the Akali Dal-BJP government in the State over the law and order situation.
Later, raising the issue in the Zero Hour in the Lower House, Ravneet Singh Bittu (Congress) demanded that the transport company running the bus should be suspended like Uber was in New Delhi.