'Unruly' bus driver throws chappal at home guard

A Home Guard who was manning traffic was assaulted by a KSRTC bus driver in full public view at Jalahalli Cross in the City on Tuesday afternoon.

Naresh, a 2012 batch Home Guard attached to the Peenya traffic police station, was hit with a chappal, assaulted and humiliated after he asked the driver to move the bus which was blocking traffic.

Naresh noticed the bus (Bengaluru-Hassan), which was heading towards Tumakuru Road, parked on the service road near Jalahalli Cross. A traffic policeman who was present at the spot thought that the driver would move. But even after the signal turned green several times, the bus did not move, causing a traffic congestion, police said.

The Home Guard approached the driver and asked him to move. The driver got furious and asked him to mind his business. Naresh took a small stick, tapped the rear end of the bus and asked the driver to move. The driver got agitated, got down from the bus, hit Naresh with a chappal and assaulted him. Naresh, who tried to defend himself, also hit the driver, police said. The traffic constable said that the driver did not move even though the signal had turned green. Many KSRTC drivers and conductors gathered at the spot in support of the driver who hit Naresh. The driver fled the scene along with the bus, the constable said.

Naresh told Deccan Herald, “I was doing my duty by asking the driver to move the bus, because it was obstructing traffic. But, he hit me and I also hit him, trying to defend myself. It was not right on his part to humiliate me by hitting me with a chappal.”

A senior police officer said,  “As of now, the Home Guard has not approached us. If he gives us a complaint, we will take action against the driver.” Members of the public told the police that the Home Guard was only doing his duty and it was not right on the part of the driver to assault him.

KSRTC officials said that they would look into the matter and summon the driver.
DH News Service