In a shocking incident at the Saswad depot in Pune district, a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus driver was brutally assaulted by three youths following a minor dispute. The attack has raised serious concerns about the safety of public transport employees.
The incident took place on Friday. The victim driver has been identified as Sachin Nale, who was allegedly attacked in broad daylight inside the depot premises.
According to the information received, the altercation escalated when the accused turned physically violent, saying, “We are local villagers,” and assaulted him with an iron rod.
Nale was beaten severely until he started bleeding from the face. When bystanders attempted to intervene and record the incident on their mobile phones, the attackers allegedly tried to snatch and throw down a phone to prevent the recording.
The injured driver sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a rural hospital. A conductor who attempted to mediate the situation was also assaulted during the attack.
Local citizens managed to apprehend one of the accused and handed him over to the police, while two other suspects fled from the spot.
The incident has triggered outrage among MSRTC employees, who have expressed strong concern over the lack of security for public servants.
Police have registered a case, and further investigation is underway to trace the absconding accused.
