NWKRTC assault case: Kannada activists detained for protest over POCSO case against bus conductor

Belagavi: Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike who were staging a protest demanding withdrawal of the POCSO Act case against the NWKRTC bus conductor in front of the Marihal police station, were detained on Saturday.

A driver and conductor of a Northwestern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) bus were assaulted at Balekundri village in Belagavi taluk after asking commuters to speak in Kannada as they could not speak passenger's language Marathi.

The case took a new turn as the conductor has been booked under provisions of the POCSO Act on Saturday.

Conductor Mahadev Hukkeri and driver Khatal Momin had been assaulted on Friday by a mob on Friday.

A boy and girl who had boarded the semi-urban CBT-Sulebhavi bus had threatened the conductor as he was not able to speak in Marathi with them. They called their accomplices who assaulted them at Balekundri.

Marihal police are investigating the matter and have arrested three accused late on Friday and manhunt for others is in progress.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike District President Deepak Gudagnatti condemned the police action of booking Hukkeri under POCSO Act and demanded that the case be withdrawn.

He said that police have booked Hukkeri under political pressure and action is needed against the concerned police officials.