Ramalinga Reddy
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Sunday wrote to the Bengaluru police commissioner, urging action over repeated assaults on bus crew.
Reddy said two incidents were reported in the Bellandur police station limits recently.
A woman techie allegedly attacked a BMTC driver with slippers for not stopping the bus at her desired location. The Bellandur police have registered an FIR in connection with the incident.
The minister noted that in some instances, miscreants even attempted life-threatening attacks. There was even an incident where a driver was attacked with a knife.
Reddy said he had previously written to the police commissioner and urged him to take appropriate action. He had also instructed the managing director of the BMTC to personally meet the police commissioner and provide a detailed explanation regarding the matter.
"Despite all these efforts, it is shocking that another incident has taken place just two days ago," he noted.
"Protecting the staff of transport corporations — be it BMTC, KSRTC or others — is our responsibility, and we cannot tolerate assaults or humiliation against our personnel. If our staff commit any wrongdoing, we immediately investigate upon receiving a complaint and take action without hesitation, if they are found guilty. However, assaulting staff members by taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable.
"Hence, we have requested that appropriate action be taken against such individuals and that a permanent solution be devised to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," read the Kannada letter to Seemant Kumar Singh, the city police chief.