Viral Video: A shocking incident from Mandya district's Krishnarajapete (KR Pete) taluk in Karnataka has been making rounds on social media. On Monday, two inebriated youths allegedly intercepted a private school bus on the Basavanahalli-Vaddarahalli road and created an uproar, forcing a Class IX girl student to get off the vehicle.
The incident took place while the school bus was ferrying students from Kikkeri to the surrounding villages. According to a video captured by the driver himself, which has since then widely circulated on social media, the men blocked the route and confronted the driver. Hate Detector, a social media account, shared the video and called for immediate action against the offenders. The tweet reported that the miscreants, allegedly drunk, stopped the moving bus and mounted pressure on the driver to make a 9th-standard student get down, creating panic among the children on board.
In another post, Hate Detector shared a photo while citing the confirmation of Mandya Police in the incident. The police had stated that the youths, under the influence of alcohol, created a nuisance in public and compromised safety among the students. Taking cognisance of the viral video, Mandya District Police said a case was registered at Kikkeri Police Station. Officials assured that such behaviour would not be tolerated and strict legal action would follow.
As per the online reports, the accused were identified as Girish, aged 20 years and Kiran, also aged 20 years. According to the sources, the duo was inebriated with ganja at the time of the incident. They abused the driver in foul language and issued threatening warnings to the school staff, and scared the students. After a complaint by the private school management, both were arrested and booked under various sections, including those of the POCSO Act.
The incident sparked outrage among parents and locals, demanding that patrolling be made stricter on rural routes to ensure the safety of children during commutes.
