BELAGAVI: The attack on a KSRTC bus conductor at Balekundri (KH) village in Belagavi taluk for not speaking Marathi with passengers has become a major issue with police filing a POCSO case against him on a complaint by a minor girl on Friday night and several Kannada organisations staging protests on Saturday.
Marihal police arrested four people, including a minor, in connection with the attack on the conductor. They were produced before a local court, which remanded three of them in judicial custody for 14 days. The three accused were sent to Hindalga jail on Saturday afternoon.
Activists of various Kannada organisations, including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), staged protests seeking action against those who had assaulted the conductor. Criticising the police for filing a “false” POCSO case against the conductor, they said it should be withdrawn immediately.
The KRV activists blocked the Bagalkot-Belagavi highway, disrupting traffic for almost one hour. They were taken into police custody and released later.
KRV leader Deepak Gudaganatti accused the police of acting under pressure. “No elected representative has spoken in favour of the conductor. If this continues, politicians ignoring Kannadigas will face consequences in the coming elections,” he said.
Mahadevappa Hukkeri, the injured conductor, who is being treated in Belagavi Institute of Medical Science (BIMS) Hospital, said, “At least seven people assaulted me. They prevented me from getting off the bus. All are from Balekundri village. I have suffered internal injuries. I have been working on this route for 16 years, but never faced any problem.”
Meanwhile, the minor girl, in her complaint with Marihal police, alleged that the conductor attempted to molest her on the bus. Mahadevappa, however, denied the allegation.
‘A false case to mislead investigation’
Mahadevappa said, “The girl is as young as my daughter. This is a false case meant to mislead police investigation.”
The problem started after the girl and a boy boarded the bus at City BIT and asked the conductor to give one free ticket to her and one paid ticket to her brother. However, the driver issued two paid tickets. This led to an argument between them. While the girl spoke Marathi, the conductor told her to speak Kannada.
Meanwhile, the girl alerted her family members about the incident over the phone. When the bus reached Balekundri (KH) village, a group of people, including some from the girl’s family, reportedly attacked the conductor. But the conductor, in his complaint, claimed that the fight broke out when she asked him to speak Marathi.
Report against inspector
According to sources, when the bus conductor went to the police station after the attack on Friday, inspector Kalyanshetti did not register a complaint and sent him back. He then got admitted in BIMS Hospital, where a medico-legal case was registered.
The DCP (L&O) has submitted a report to the police commissioner against the inspector for not initiating immediate action. The matter would have been resolved in the initial stage had the inspector acted on the conductor’s complaint, the sources said. Lada Martin Marbanyang, the police commissioner, said four people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the conductor. Investigations are on. Action will be taken accordingly, he added.
BJP DEMANDS STERN ACTION
Bengaluru: BJP state president BY Vijayendra urged the state government to take stern action against those who assaulted a KSRTC bus conductor for not speaking Marathi. Taking to social media to condemn the assault on the conductor, the BJP leader said anti-social elements are committing hooliganism in the name of language.
Terming the incident an assault on the government staffer in the name of Marathi language as the height of linguistic violence, the BJP leader said there is no question of tolerating such acts. He urged the state government to take precautionary measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur as they threaten Marathi-Kannada harmony. Police in Belagavi have arrested four persons for allegedly assaulting a bus conductor for not speaking in Marathi with a commuter.