Udupi: Assault on bus employee - accused surrender, protest condemned

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Update: June 11

Udupi, Jun 11: Even as the persons accused of assaulting a bus driver in an incident on Sunday night surrendered at Kaup police station on Monday June 10 morning, there has been widespread condemnation of the way in which the bus employees resorted to flash strike, inconveniencing scores of passengers in Udupi as well as in Mangalore.

It is said that the occupants of a car, including the local BJP municipal councillor, Yashpal Suvarna, angered by the fact that the driver of a private express bus moving to Udupi from Mangalore frequently overtook their vehicle by intimidating them through close overtakes, had intercepted the bus at Udyavar and beaten up its driver, Dinesh. Drivers of two other buses, Manjunath and Shamsuddin, who tried to help Dinesh, also were beaten up by the gang.

Mangalore

The names of the assaulters who accompanied Yashpal Suvarna, who also happens to be the president of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district Fishermen's Federation, have been given as Shivakumar, Yathish Kumar, and Vishwanath from Udupi. The accused secured bail on Monday afternoon.

The drivers of two 'Vishal' buses, Dinesh and Manjunath, as well as driver of 'Ayra' bus, Shamsuddin, have got admtited into the district hospital here for treatment.

In a complaint, the bus drivers also said that a passenger named Lakshman was also manhandled, and the window panes of 'Vishal' bus were shattered by the gang before fleeing from the scene. Thereafter, traffic was blocked at the spot for about one hour, before the police intervened and restored vehicular movement. Several buses curtailed their trips at Udyavar and offloaded the passengers. On Monday morning too, the strike continued till afternoon. Employees of private buses, who gathered at Udupi bus stand, held a protest and demanded justice. They remained stubborn, even after the bus owners and deputy superintendent of police, Dr Prabhudeva Mane, approached them with a request to suspend the protest.

Meanwhile, Udupi district president of Welfare Party of India, U Anwar Ali Kaup, in a press statement, asked the government to view the incident in all seriousness, as students, employees, and hundreds of other passengers faced problems because of this strike. He demanded for the running of government buses in all the routes.

There have also been calls to regulate the reckless driving of buses and other vehicles on the national highway.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions district committee condemned the assault and demanded action against the assaulters. It also demanded medical and other relief to the affected bus employees. Canara Bus Owners Association also condemned the incident, and demanded action from the government to ensure that such incidents do not recur. The association said that buses have begun to ply as usual since Monday afternoon, after the accused surrendered in the police station.

13 KSRTC buses were pressed into service after the buses stopped plying, on Kundapur-Udupi-Mangalore route. Even Volvo buses picked up and dropped off passengers at the places of their convenience, mitigating the hardships of people to some extent.

Kaup police circle inspector, Shivanand Walekar, oversaw law and order situation, with the help of Kaup station house officer, Archana K, Padubidri station house officer, Mahadeva Setti, Shirva police station in-charge, K R Naik, and other personnel.

Earlier Report: June 10

Udupi: BJP leader, four others assault bus driver, protest staged

Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Jun 10: A group of 5 miscreants who were allegedly drunk came in a car and waylaid a private bus near Udayavar at around 8.45 pm on Sunday June 9, and reportedly attacked the bus driver and others.

Udupi

As per the information obtained, a group of 5 people in a Ritz car (KA 20 P 8328) started creating nuisance for the Vishal Travels bus from Mulky onwards, by coming in its way repeatedly and applying breaks unexpectedly. But as soon as the bus reached Udyavar, the group waylaid the bus and attacked the bus driver Dinesh, causing him serious injuries.

As per the police complaint, five persons including BJP leader and Udupi councillor Yashpal Suvarna were in the Ritz car. The group also damaged three other buses, it is said. Sources say that Suvarna and the four others attacked the Vishal bus driver for not giving them way.

Another private bus driver identified as Shamshuddin and locals who came to Dinesh's rescue were also thrashed by the group. Altogether, four bus employees and three passengers were beaten up. The people informed Kaup police but the group fled from the spot immediately.

A case has been registered at Kaup police station. Circle inspector Maruti Nayak, Aman, traffic SI, DySP Prabhudev Mane, town SI Lingaraj visited the spot.

In this regard, a few private buses protested for an hour demanding immediate arrest of the miscreants.

The protest also continued on Monday June 10 morning with service buses plying from Udupi to Mangalore, Kundapur, Karkala, Hebri, Saiddapur going on strike. The protest hit Mangalore too with buses staying off the road. The protestors sat on a dharna at Kaup bus stand, and some of the schools have also declared holiday due to unavailibility of buses.

In Udupi, all the buses have been parked along Karavali road and the service bus stand is almost empty. The protesting groups and the bus owners have been dispersed from the bus stand, it is learnt.

Bus service resumes

The protestors in Udupi called off their strike by afternoon after assurance from the police that the accused would be arrested soon and action taken against them.

The bus employees also said that they were calling off the strike in the interests of citizens and students who had been hit by the protest.

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