Sullia: Bajrang Dal activists assault youth for sitting next to girl in bus
Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (EP)
Sullia, Jan 7: In an apparent case of moral policing, a youth was allegedly assaulted by Bajrang Dal activists for sitting next to a girl in a bus from Bangalore to Sullia.
Sources said that a person in a bus plying between Bangalore to Sullia noticed a boy sitting next to a young girl in the bus and informed Bajrang Dal activists. The activists who rushed towards the bus allegedly assaulted the youth and forced him to alight from the bus.
It is said that Kamaruddin, a resident of Goonadka was at the Bangalore bus stand on Sunday, January 5, when he met the girl, also employed in Bangalore, waiting for the same bus. A man who saw them sitting next to each other reportedly called up Bajrang Dal activists at Kallugundi and informed them.
When the bus reached Sampaje at 4 am, Vijaya Nidinji and some other members of Bajrang Dal got into the bus and identified the youth and the girl. It is said that Vijaya allegedly slapped Kamaruddin. Though Kamaruddin explained that they had not come together but only sat next to each other as no other seats were available, the activists would not listen to him and tried to pull him out of the bus, sources said.
Kamaruddin and the girl finally got down at Goonadka. The girl’s father was waiting for her at the bus stop. Both Kamaruddin and the girl explained what transpired in the bus to her father and other locals.
Though the locals urged Kamaruddin to close the matter without complaining to the police, he insisted that Vijaya should apologize for having slapped him.
As Vijaya did not pay heed to his demand, Kamaruddin complained to Madikeri police alleging that Vijaya Nidinji and Mahesh Kadupanja had assaulted him, it is learnt.