Udupi; Private Service Buses from Udupi to Mangalore, Kundapur, Hebri went on lightening strike on Monday morning alleging assault on one of its driver previous night. All the buses are made to stop at Karavali bypass. The transport system got derailed and thousands of passengers were stranded in Udupi Busstand.
At about 12.30 p. m after prolonged discussion with the police & the concerned and after assurance that all the culprits will be arrested the private bus owners decided to call of this strike and the mess got cleared.
The bus employees told the media that they don’t want to inflict any more sufferings to the public and arrangement will be made for their hassle free transport to their destination.
How it started:
It was said that previous night Yashpal Suvarna, BJP leader and Udupi District Fisheries Federation President and Udupi Councilor, including a group of 5 to 6 members in a Ritz car tried blocking the road for Vishal Travels which was plying from Mangalore to Udupi and at Udyavar the group of men who were suspected to be drunk stopped the bus and thrashed the bus driver Dinesh (36)
Another driver from Aira Bus, Shamshuddin tried to intervene and he too was seriously beaten up. The passengers informed Kaup police but before their arrival the group escaped from the spot immediately. A case has been registered at Kaup police station.
There was confusion as well as tension at the service bus stand of Udupi on June 10, Monday as bus drivers adopted a vehement stand and urged DySP Prabhudev Maane to immediately arrest the attackers.
After effect of the incident, for an hour all the vehicles were blocked at Udyavara. Circle inspector Maruti Nayak, Traffic SI Ammanulla visited the spot and sorted the issue . However in morning the repercussion was seen at Udupi service stand where in Buses were stopped in the stand calling on a flash strike thus derailing the whole passenger transport system putting passengers at risk & inconvenience.
The Bus owners put forward the demand for the arrest of the members of the gang as a pre-condition to resume normal service.
It is learnt, the appeal of the DySP to the bus drivers to resume services, have gone unheard. The DySP has also promised to arrest the assailants at the earliest.
The injured bus driver has been admitted to Ajjarkad District Hospital.
According to sources five persons including Yashpal Suvarna who were travelling in a Ritz car began creating trouble for the Vishal Travels bus by coming in its way frequently and applying brakes. When the bus reached Udyavar it was intercepted by them and the driver attacked. It is also learnt that four bus employees and three passengers were beaten up.
The bus drivers also staged a protest at Kaup bus stand. Some schools of Udupi have also declared holiday, due to the bus strike.
DySP Prabhudev Mane, Town SI Lingaraj deployed police force at the spot and started to negotiate between the concerned and after prolonged confusion and arguments, the assurances that the accused will be arrested blew of the crisis and was resolved at about 12 noon it is learnt.
