Belagavi incident: Girl’s family to withdraw Pocso case against conductor

Belagavi: The family of the minor girl, on whose complaint a case under the Pocso Act was registered against a KSRTC bus conductor here on Monday, issued a video statement, saying they had decided to withdraw the case. 

They have urged the people to stop escalating the matter into a language dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

In the video statement purportedly released by the family, a woman - believed to be the girl’s mother - recalled the incident, stating that when her son and daughter were travelling from Belagavi to Balekundri after visiting the hospital, an altercation over a bus ticket broke out, which was falsely projected as a Kannada-Marathi issue.

“Injustice has happened to our daughter. Considering the situation, we will withdraw the case. We request people to stop all this. There is no pressure from anyone to withdraw the case. We are doing it voluntarily,” she added.

Belagavi police commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang said he came across the video statement through the media, but they had not yet approached the police.

“First, the victim’s family will have to record its statement officially at the police station. Certain procedures need to be followed to close the case, and we will proceed accordingly,” he said.

Meanwhile, the inspector of Marihal police station has been transferred for ‘delaying’ the registration of the conductor’s complaint regarding the alleged assault, a senior police officer said.

KRV stages protests

The two factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) staged separate protests condemning the attack on NWKRTC bus conductor Mahadeva Hukkeri for asking a passenger to speak in Kannada. 

The members of Praveen Shetty faction of KRV formed a human chain at Rani Chennamma Circle and raised slogans against Maharashtra. The police took the workers to custody even as they headed to Sanna Balekundri. The protesters were released later on the outskirts of the city.

MES, Sena flayed

The members of Narayana Gowda faction waved Kannada flags at the circle and shouted slogans against Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti. Addressing protesters, Narayana Gowda said that MES and Shiva Sena had resorted to 'goondaism' for political purposes.