VIJAYAWADA: In an alleged case of hooliganism, nearly 20 bike-borne youngsters chased and intercepted a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus and attacked the driver before snatching Rs 25,000 from the conductor on Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway near Gollaprolu in the wee hours of Sunday. They were reportedly upset with the driver for blocking their way and honking at them.
Bhavanipuram police arrested six for creating nuisance and assaulting the driver. The bus, belonging to Narketpalli depot in Telangana, was on its way to Hyderabad from Vijayawada with 50 passengers on board. According to circle inspector D Mohan Reddy, these 20 men, who were gathered for a religious event, were inconveniencing other commuters by rash driving at Rama Nagar Junction.
They chased the TSRTC bus after driver Chilakapalli Janayya honked at them, and managed to stop it near Ayappa Swamy temple. Some passengers recorded the entire event on their phones and, in one of the footage, a woman could be seen confronting the angry men.
Honking made youths angry, says driver
Bhavanipuram police rushed to the spot and identified the accused with the help of video clippings. “Eyewitnesses claim that more than 20 youngsters attacked the bus driver and other staff. In the scuffle, two passengers also suffered minor injuries,” said the police.Then, a team of police immediately took six youngsters into custody and seized their vehicles.
Based on a complaint lodged by Janayya, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. “When I was passing through the Rama Nagar Junction, I honked at them, which made them angry. They chased the bus and attacked us for no reason at all,’’ Janayya told the police.
Responding to the incident, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Chandrasekhar said cases were registered against both youngsters and the bus driver (for rash driving).The incident once again exposed the police’s failure to prevent rash driving and nuisance on highways during night hours. “We will intensify night patrolling to curb rash driving cases,” the police officer assured.