Belagavi bus assault: Probe will make facts of POCSO case against conductor clear, says Belagavi Police Commissioner

Belagavi: Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang on Saturday said that the NWKRTC bus conductor on the CBT-Sulebhavi route who was assaulted by a mob in Belagavi has been booked under the provisions of POCSO Act as a girl aboard the bus filed complaint against him. Investigations will make the facts clear and chargesheet will be filed accordingly.

Conductor Mahadevi Hukkeri was assaulted on Friday at Balekundri village in Belagavi taluk along with driver Khatal Momin by a mob for asking a boy and girl to speak in Kannada as he did not know Marathi. The girl, who had commenced argument with the conductor by asking him to talk in Marathi, filed case under provisions of POCSO Act in the early hours of Saturday.

Sources said Marbaniang had asked Marihal Police Station Police Inspector Gururaj Kalyanshetti not register the case under POCSO Act until he himself went to the police station and spoke to the girl. Despite that Kalyanshetti filed the case, supposedly under political pressure.

Marbaniang told reporters here on Saturday that based on the complaint by driver, four persons had been arrested and investigations into involvement of more persons was in progress. The complaint mentioned that four to five unidentified persons assaulted them.

Regarding the conductor being booked under the provisions of POCSO Act, he said that a case has been registered by SHO as per laws.

He did not comment on the case being registered despite him asking the official to wait.