Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady

Beltangady, Mar 29: A man was thrashed by passengers in a bus at Dharmasthala here on Sunday March 28 for allegedly trying to molest a minor girl.

The incident took place in a Bengaluru-Dharmasthala Hamsa Travels bus early morning on Sunday.

As per the complaint filed in Beltangady police station, at around 4 am when the bus reached near Mudigere, the accused Lokesh (23) allegedly tried to molest a nine-and-a-half-year-old girl who was in a seat in front of him. The girl told her mother about his misbehaviour.

The girl's mother immediately raised an alarm, and other passengers in the bus swung into action and thrashed Lokesh. They even pulled off his clothes and beat him up.

The passengers decided to hand him over to the police after reaching Dharmasthala, but while they were waiting for Beltangady police to arrive, the accused managed to escape from the spot.

Three people who were accompanying the accused were then questioned, and they said his name was Lokesh and he was from Hosur.

Though Lokesh is yet to be traced, the police have detained the three who were accompanying him for questioning.

Lokesh has been booked under POCSO Act and efforts are on to trace him.