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Karnataka: Tweet on bus attack spurs police to action, accused caught day later
A passenger took to Twitter to share an incident of a highway attack on a KSRTC bus on its way to Mysore, prompting the police to investigate and nab the accused a day later.
A Central Goods and Services Tax, or CGST, inspector called Devi Charan was traveling on a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Flybus from Bengaluru airport to Mysore on Sunday when two beer bottles came flying through a window and sent shards of glass all over sleeping passengers.
He took to Twitter after the incident to alert the police and other relevant authorities, saying that the passenger sitting by the window had fortunately escaped with only minor injuries.
However, there was no first aid kit in the public bus, he pointed out.
The passengers were shifted to another KSRTC bus soon after and Charan shared images from inside the bus that was attacked; pieces of glass could be seen covering nearby seats, one of which had been occupied by a baby.
"Two beer bottles came crashing into the Flybus from Bangalore Airport to Mysore while it was moving through Ramanagara. Passengers woke up to two simultaneous noises. Fortunately, the passenger sitting at that window seat sustained only minor injuries," he tweeted.
"We were shifted to another KSRTC bus. There is no first aid kit in the bus even to attend to the minor cuts to the passenger. Is it not a mandate to have first aid kit in public transport!?" he asked.
"The shards of glass also spread to nearby seats where passengers were sleeping, including a 15-month-old baby. No other person has been injured."
Officials swung into action soon after, with district police lodging a case and nabbing an accused a day later - one Mohammad Arif.
"A case has been registered in this regard. and one accused person Mohammad Arif is arrested," the official handle of the Ramanagara district police tweeted.
Lauding the quick and prompt response, Alok Kumar - the additional director-general (law and order) tweeted: "Appreciate swift action by SP Ramanagara regarding case in which two beer bottles were thrown damaging the windows of KSRTC bus and causing minor injuries to the passengers on Sunday night."
To this, the SP of Ramanagara replied, "Thank you sir."
