The Mira Road police have registered an offence against the son of the private bus operator for beating-up a 47-year-old on-duty driver following a petty quarrel on the issue of overtaking.
The incident was reported on bus route number 17 which operates from the Mira Road railway station to Vinay Nagar in Kashimira, following which contractual employees went on a flash strike on Wednesday evening to register their protest against the assault.
The accused biker, who has been identified as-Gavin Borges, was apparently attempting to overtake the bus but its driver Rameshwar Bidwe got in his way. Gavin reached the next stop near S.K.Stone Signal and picked up a quarrel with Bidve.
Accused slaps bus driver on camera
After rounds of verbal abuse, the Gavin slapped Bidve and left the spot. The video clip of the incident went viral on social media platforms.
Following a complaint registered by Bidwe, the Mira Road police filed a FIR under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Police yet to arrest accused
While bus services resumed late in the night, the accused was yet to be arrested. After terminating the contract with the regular service provider, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had chalked out a stop-gap arrangement by appointing a local agency-Mahalaxmi Krupa Infrastructure to operate its bus fleet.
A resident of Dongri in Uttan, Gavin Borges is the son of one of the partners of the infrastructure company which operates the bus fleet in the twin-city.
Sena MLA Demands Contract Termination
Taking a serious note of the incident, Shiv Sena legislator- Pratap Sarnaik has demanded immediate termination of the contract given to Mahalaxmi Krupa Infrastructure.
In his letter to the municipal commissioner, the legislator has levelled serious allegations against the private bus operator for dictatorial attitude and exploitation of the contractual workers. “I am getting multiple complaints against the private bus operator. Such an assault on an on-duty driver is not tolerable. I have asked the commissioner to terminate the contract and blacklist the company,” said Sarnaik.
