Tensions along the Karnataka-Maharashtra border remain high following the assault of a bus conductor from the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) on Friday, February 21, after he asked a passenger to speak in Kannada. In response, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy will visit Belagavi on Monday, February 24, to address concerns related to the incident and the suspension of bus services, which were halted by both states as a precautionary measure. Officials have suggested that services from Karnataka could resume on Monday.
Minister Reddy emphasized the need for swift action against those responsible for the attack on the conductor and the damage to KSRTC buses. He condemned the vandalism, stating that it only exacerbates the unrest, and called for peaceful coexistence among linguistic communities.
Meanwhile, Belagavi police have arrested one more person in connection with the assault, bringing the total number of arrests to five, including one minor. The latest individual arrested, Mohan Hanchinal from Chikka Balekundri village, was taken into custody on Sunday. The assaulted conductor, Mahadevappa Hukkeri, remains in critical condition.
The situation took a new turn on Saturday when a counter-complaint was filed by some villagers from Chikka Balekundri, accusing the conductor of attempting to molest a minor girl on the bus. A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered.
The altercation has led to halting of bus services between the two states. Shiv Sena (UBT) activists in Pune and Kolhapur damaged KSRTC buses, while Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists blocked Maharashtra buses in Athani and Ramdurg. Currently, buses are only operating up to the inter-state border, with NWKRTC services expected to resume inter-state routes from Monday if tensions ease.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed that MSRTC buses will remain suspended until talks are held between the relevant ministers of both states.
KRV president Narayana Gowda is also set to visit Belagavi on Tuesday to protest the assault and demand justice for the conductor.
