An angry mob attacked a Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus and its conductor in Sulibele, located in Karnataka’s Hoskote taluk. According to reports, the violence started when the conductor of the bus, which was travelling from Hoskote and Doddaballapur, asked a male senior citizen, who was sitting on a seat reserved for ladies, to get up.
Bangalore Mirror reported that a woman on the bus had approached the conductor, Basavaraju, who then asked the man to give his seat to the woman. He, however, refused, and an argument ensued. Some young men who were present on the bus began to question the conductor’s behaviour, and joined the argument. The senior citizen also reportedly alleged that the conductor had pulled his beard.
TOI reported that at this point, the bus driver drove to the Sulibele police station, sensing danger. At the station, the two sides reportedly reached a compromise.
However, the young men on the bus were not satisfied and while the bus was on its back to Hoskote, a group of around 100 men surrounded the bus in Sulibele. They forced the passengers to alight and then dragged out the bus conductor. They reportedly thrashed the bus conductor and threw stones at the bus.
The conductor has been admitted to a local hospital and a case has been registered against the attackers for rioting, attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, destruction of public property, and assaulting a public servant on duty.
Four people, all aged between 20 to 29 years, have been nabbed by the police while the rest are on the run. The police have arrested Shoaib, Khaleel Pasha, Mohammed Yasin and Sheikh Aseem from Sulibele.
Further investigation is underway. The Hindu reported that the police has formed a special team to catch the culprits who are on the run.