Bus driver booked for flogging woman

A day after the video of a city bus driver brutally beating up a woman went viral on the social media, the driver has been booked under IPC section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), section 341 (wrongful restraint), and section 354 (assault to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

The video of the driver flogging the woman over the suspicions of being a pickpocket took rounds on social media on Thursday. The incident happened around 11.30 pm when the bus on the 9A route had just passed the Narayan Singh Circle. The driver, identified as Het Ram, is seen coming towards the exit of the bus as he takes out a belt and starts flogging the woman. The driver is seen repeatedly kicking the woman and bad-mouthing her.

Other passengers did not show resentment towards the incident, rather cheered the driver to beat her up. A passenger could be heard saying “Sudharo Isko warna auro ki jeb kaategi” (Mend her or else she would pickpocket somebody else). Another female passenger was heard saying “Bahar feko isko” (throw her out). The commotion went up as the women was forcibly thrown out of the bus by the driver.

The incident is a grim reminder of the increasing mob justice incidents in the state. Managing director of Jaipur City Transport Services Limited Suresh Kumar Ola said the driver was immediately instructed to go off route on Thursday and orders to terminate him were issued. “We have sent the details of the driver to the police and an FIR will be registered against him,” said Ola.

The Rajasthan state commission for women has taken cognizance and sent a letter to JCTL, asking them to blacklist the agency through which the driver was recruited. Commission chairperson Suman Sharma said booking the driver for the act will not be enough. “Before giving licences to the drivers, it is the responsibility of JCTL to do a background check on the drivers. We have sent a letter to the JCTL asking them to blacklist ‘Mateshwari agency’ through which the driver was recruited.”

The driver is a Bharatpur resident who worked at Todi Depot on Sikar Road, where he was called to give his version on Friday morning. Chief manager of Todi Depot Suresh Sharma said the versions of the driver and conductor have been recorded in the presence of the police.

“In his version the driver said he and the conductor suspected the woman to be a pickpocket and asked her to step down on the next stop. The woman did not respond well and abused them instead. Thereafter, he got off his seat and started beating the woman, thereby forcing her out of the bus,” said Sharma. The video shows woman being forced down the bus by the driver.

The driver and the conductor gave similar versions to the police. No complainant has approached the police yet.

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