Belagavi police have arrested three individuals in connection with the assault on an NWKRTC bus conductor and driver at Balekundri village. The conductor questioned the passenger, saying, “If you don’t know Kannada, why are you in Karnataka?” which led to an argument. However, the bus driver framed it as a linguistic issue, stating that the passenger had asked, “Why don’t you speak in Marathi?“, quotes the Sakal.
Police are investigating the matter and they will likely issue a statement today as to what actually led to this incident.
As per sources, A boy and a girl from Balekundri were traveling from CBT to Balekundri when the girl requested two tickets. The conductor, while issuing the tickets, mistakenly provided both under the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which offers free travel for women. Realizing the error, the conductor confronted the girl, asking, “Why did you take two free tickets?”
The conversation took a turn when the girl spoke in Marathi while the conductor communicated in Kannada. When the girl mentioned that she did not understand Kannada, the conductor, growing increasingly frustrated, allegedly insulted her, saying, “If you don’t know Kannada, why are you in Karnataka?” Upset by the incident, the girl immediately informed her parents. By the time the bus reached Balekundri Khurd, her parents had gathered there and took action against the conductor, reported the Sakal.
The New Indian Express reports –
When a woman asked for a free ticket in Marathi, Mahadev told her that he did not understand that language and requested her to speak Kannada. This led to an argument between the conductor and some Marathi-speaking passengers on the bus. When the bus reached Balekundri, the group entered the bus and assaulted Mahadev. Mahadev told reporters that when the argument broke out, some passengers abused him and threatened him with dire consequences for not speaking Marathi. When the bus reached Balekundri, many people entered the bus and started assaulting him. They did not listen to his request not to assault him, he said. A video clip of people assaulting the conductor has gone viral, drawing sharp reactions from various Kannada organisations in the district.
The Hindu reports –
A boy was travelling with a girl on the bus. The conductor told the boy that he had to pay for his ticket while the girl could travel for free. The boy began arguing with him in Marathi. When the conductor told him he had to speak in Kannada as he did not understand Marathi, the boy abused him. He also called his friends and associates on his phone and asked them to get on the bus in the village. They beat him up. When the bus returned, the conductor went to the hospital, the police said.
Kannada.news18 reports – A group of youths attacked a bus conductor. The youths are said to have committed the act after being angry with the Conductor for asking her Aadhaar card. The bus conductor asked the woman to show her Aadhaar card in Kannada. However, a youth who was with the woman demanded that she speak to the conductor in Marathi. During this, a verbal altercation took place between the youths and the bus conductor.
Marihal police launched an investigation and arrested three accused late on Friday. The arrested individuals have been identified as Maruti Turmuri, Balu Gojgekar, and Rahul Naidu, all residents of Balekundri village. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.
The accused underwent medical examinations at Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences District Hospital before being presented in court. They have been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.