Road Rage: Bus driver assaulted by gang in Ullal; one held

 

In a shocking incident reported under Konaje police limits, a five-member group, including a tipper truck driver, assaulted a private bus driver in Mudipu following a dispute over giving way on the road.

The victim, Thyagaraj, who drives a Gopalakrishna Travels bus between Mangaluru and Mudipu, was assaulted near the Mudipu Junction. The incident reportedly began when the bus had stopped near a school in Kairangala Punnyakoti Nagar to allow students to board. The tipper truck, driven by one Irfan, allegedly couldn’t overtake and confronted the bus driver aggressively.

Later in the evening, Irfan returned with four others, stopped the bus at the junction, dragged Thyagaraj out and physically assaulted him, including stamping on his chest. The injured driver was admitted to a hospital in Deralakatte.

Police have taken Irfan into custody, and a search is on for the remaining four accused. Thyagaraj was previously praised for saving a Muslim woman from a road accident through timely driving.

A case has been registered at the Mangaluru South Traffic Police Station. The Dakshina Kannada District Bus Owners’ Association has strongly condemned the assault.