Curated By: Asmita Ravi Shankar
News18.com
Last Updated: March 27, 2024, 09:32 IST
Bengaluru, India
The female passenger and conductor can be seen having a verbal altercation first. (Image: Screengrab/X)
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Tuesday suspended a bus conductor after a video of him assaulting a woman passenger went viral on social media.
The incident took place on Tuesday morning, when a woman was travelling in the BMTC bus from Bilekalli to Shivajinagar. Reportedly, the passenger — hailing from another state — had a verbal squabble with the conductor regarding the ticket, during which the conductor hit her.
In the viral video, a heated argument can be heard amid which the conductor assaulted the woman.
ಪುಕ್ಕಟೆ ಭಾಗ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ #ತಂಝಿನಾ_ಇಸ್ಮಾಯಿಲ್ (24) ಯವತಿ ಆದರ್ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ ತೋರಿಸಿ ಅಥವಾ ಹಣ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ಟಿಕೆಟ್ ಪಡೆಯಿರಿ ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿದ ಕಂಡಕ್ಟರ್ #ಹೊನ್ನಪ್ಪ ನ ಮೇಲೆ ಮೊದಲು ಹಲ್ಲೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾಳೆ, ಆದರೆ ಅರೆಸ್ಟ್ ಆಗಿರೋದು ಬಡಪಾಯಿ ಕಂಡಕ್ಟರ್..! ಇದು ಯಾವ ನ್ಯಾಯ @BMTC_BENGALURU @BlrCityPolice pic.twitter.com/522vjKlkrM— Kuberappa P H (@Kuberappaph) March 26, 2024
The female passenger later filed a complaint at the Siddapur police station in connection to the case. Meanwhile, the BMTC issued a statement informing that the conductor has been suspended.
“Based on the said social media news, disciplinary action has been reserved against Mr Honnappa Nagappa Agasar, Conductor, with immediate effect ‘suspended’,” the BMTC’s official release read.
The statement further said, “Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation is giving high priority to the safety of women passengers. The corporation has taken measures like separate seating for women in buses, separate doors, installation of panic button, CCTV, installation of information boards, women’s rest room at major bus stations, helpline,” adding that, “Necessary steps are taken to ensure that women passengers feel safe travelling in company buses.”
Bangalore’s transport corporation noted that it provides “gender sensitization training” to all its 27,000 driving staff to ensure that women feel safe and comfortable.
“Our corporation has given priority to the safety of women, and strict disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of any kind of violence, rude behaviour and untoward incidents against women passengers,” it added.
(With ANI inputs)
