Belagavi has a substantial Marathi-speaking population and a section among them have been demanding the merger of the district with Maharashtra, which is stoutly opposed by the state as well as the Kannada populace residing there.
51-year-old bus conductor Mahadevappa Mallappa Hukkeri on Friday told reporters that a girl who boarded the bus with her male friend at Sulebhavi village spoke in Marathi. Hukkeri told her that he did not know Marathi and asked her to speak in Kannada.
“When I said I don’t know Marathi, the girl abused me, saying that I must learn Marathi. “Suddenly, a large number of people gathered and assaulted me on my head and all over the body,” said the conductor.
Due to the assault, the bus conductor suffered injuries and was admitted to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences.
The police have filed a case arresting four people for assaulting the bus conductor.
And on a counter complaint lodged by the girl aged 14, the conductor has been booked under the POCSO Act.
“A case was registered, and we have arrested four people in connection with the assault on the conductor and based on a counter complaint lodged by the girl, who is 14-year-old, a case was registered against the conductor under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly using derogatory remarks against her,” a senior police officer said, according to news agency PTI report.
“No arrest has been made yet in connection with the POCSO Act case. We need to investigate, and look into the allegations and accordingly further action will be taken,” he added.
Karnataka Bus Conductor, Marathi, Belagavi, Kannada, Sulebhavi, POCSO Act
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