Kundapura: Assault on bus driver; Buses went on strike in Kundapur taluk

Kundapura, Nov 26 2013 with inputs from KARAVALITIMES:
All the private bus drivers and conductors in Kundapur taluk have staged a protest condemning the attack on a bus driver at Sarpankatte in Bhatkal. Private bus driver Nithyananda was assaulted by the locals on Monday evening at Sarpankatte.

 
The locals at Sarpankatte stopped a private bus which left from Bhatkal at 5.15 PM on Monday evening accusing the reckless driving of the driver. Arguments started between the locals and the driver and later the driver Nithyananda was assaulted. He was seriously injured and admitted to Manipal hospital. On hearing the news,the bus drivers all over Kundapur taluk have staged a protest and stopped the bus service.
A meeting of the  private bus staff was held at Kundapur Shastri circle on Tuesday morning and it was decided to stop the bus service. Later they reached Kundapur Police station in a procession and submitted a memorandum to the Dist.Commissioner through station SI Jayaram D.Gowda demanding the police action against the culprits.

Addressing the protesters,Bus agent Shankar Kharvi said “The bus drivers and conductors are receiving small amount of salaries and they are being assaulted in the public. If they did a mistake then they should be punished under the law. But there is no protection for them when few people try to take law in their hands. Our intention is not to create problem for the public but to condemn the attack and demand for the arrest of the culprits”. More than 200 drivers and conductor took part in the protest.

Having no knowledge about the bus bandh,the commuter faced inconvenience on Tuesday morning. They found difficulty in finding the alternative means of transport. School and college students faced difficulty to reach their institutions.
In order to ease the difficulty,KSRTC has started 4 Rajahamsa and 2 ordinery bus service from Kundapur to Udupi. Additional Govt.bus service was provided to Kollur,Siddhapur,Hallihole,Kamalashile and so many other destinations. KSRTC buses also provided bus service to rural areas from Kundapur town.

[IMAGES via Karavalitimes]
CONTENT SOURCE: http://karavalitimes.com/web/archives/68806