Accused arrested for assaulting NWKRTC bus conductor being brought to Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences District Hospital in Belagavi for medical tests late on Friday.
Credit: DH Photo
Belagavi: The incident of a NWKRTC conductor being assaulted by a mob as he allegedly asked two commuters to speak in Kannada, for he did not know Marathi, took a different turn after the girl who had commenced the argument by asking the conductor to communicate in Marathi filed a case under the provisions of POCSO Act in the early hours of Saturday.
The assault had happened in the CBT-Sulebhavi route bus at Balekundri village in Belagavi taluk.
Police had initially attempted to downplay the incident, but as it blew out of proportion with video of the assault going viral, cops arrested four accused identified as Maruti Turmuri, Balu Gojgekar and Rahul Naidu, residents of Balekundri village and a minor. Medical tests of the accused were conducted at Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences District Hospital and they were produced in the court. Accused have been sent into 14 days judicial custody. Some more accused are still at large.
Conductor Mahadev Hukkeri and driver Khatal Momin had been assaulted on Friday by a mob at Balekundri. A boy and girl who had boarded the bus had threatened the conductor as he was not able to speak in Marathi with them. They had called their accomplices who assaulted the conductor and the driver.
Meanwhile, Hukkeri has said that a "false" complaint has been lodged against him and thorough investigation will make facts clear.
Activists of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike laid siege to Marihal police station demanding withdrawal of the POCSO Act case registered against the conductor terming it "false" and also demanded suspension of police official who registered the complaint. They took Police Inspector Gururaj Kalyanshetti to task for him "succumbing to political pressure and registering case against victim."
Kalyanshetti justified his action and stated that case under provisions of POCSO Act has been registered as per guidance of senior officials. He said the girl came to the police station accompanied with an advocate and accused the conductor of "staring at her and making some signs."
Activist Ayeshsa Sanadi also slammed Kalyanshetti for "meting out injustices to Kannadigas and the conductor despite being a victim." "The police official and personnel present too were staring at her and she would file case of sexual harassment against them," she said.
Deepak Gudagnatti, Suresh Gavanavar, Ganesh Rokade and others alleged that POCSO Act case was booked under political pressure and should be withdrawn. "Action is needed against the concerned police officials," they said while questioning the silence of the elected representatives of the district.
As the activists continued to lay siege to the police station they were detained.