The family of the 17-year-old who accused a bus conductor, at the centre of the latest flare-up in the Karnataka-Maharashtra language dispute, of misbehaving with her on board a Karnataka state bus issued a video statement on Tuesday withdrawing their complaint filed under the Pocso Act.
In the video statement, purportedly released by the girl’s family, a woman, believed to be the girl’s mother said that an altercation happened over a bus ticket but it was being falsely projected as a language dispute.
“We are also affectionate about Kannada, there is no discrimination in this. Unnecessarily false propaganda is being done in the name of Kannada and Marathi,” she said in the video.
HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
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On Friday, four people were arrested for allegedly assaulting the conductor, Mahadevappa Hukkeri, of the state-owned transport corporation bus for not replying to a passenger in Marathi.
Later, a counter complaint was filed by the minor girl alleging that the bus conductor misbehaved with her based on which a case under the Protection for Children Under the Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act was registered against the conductor.
Withdrawing the complaint, the girl’s mother said her daughter was wronged. “Injustice has happened to our daughter, looking at the situation, we will withdraw the case, we request to stop all this,” she said.
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Saying that the family was disturbed by how the incident has created tension between the two states, she said, “We are disturbed that this issue has created a rift between Karnataka and Maharashtra, we don’t have any discrimination against Kannada or Marathi. We are Kannadigas too, our language may be Marathi.”
Responding to a query if the Pocso case was withdrawn against the bus conductor, Belagavi police commissioner Ada Martin told PTI that he came across the video statement through media in which the girl’s family has expressed that they want to withdraw the case but they have not approached police yet in this regard.
“First, they (the victim’s family) will have to record the statement officially in the police station. For closing the case, there are certain procedures which need to be followed. And accordingly, it will be done once we record their statements,” he said.
As the issue escalated, both states suspended interstate bus services with protesters on both sides of the border pelting stones at buses, blackening the faces of the drivers and conductors, and staging protests.
In response to the case’s handling, the commissioner transferred Marihal station inspector Gururaj Kalyanshetti for failing to report the Pocso case to higher authorities.
He was replaced by CCRB inspector Manjunath Naik, while Kalyanshetti was reassigned to Naik’s previous role.
The controversy has intensified tensions between pro-Kannada and pro-Maharashtra groups. On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) members affixed saffron-coloured flags and “Jai Maharashtra” slogans on a Karnataka state transport bus in Sangli district, forcing the driver to chant the slogan.
In response, Kannada activists targeted a Maharashtra state transport bus in Bagalkot on Monday night.
The vehicle, travelling from Ilkal in Bagalkot district of Karnataka to Solapur in Maharashtra, was stopped in Kudalasangama, where protesters inscribed “Jai Karnataka” slogans, tied Kannada flags, and compelled the driver to repeat the phrase.
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Amid escalating hostility, the North West Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NWKSRTC) suspended bus services to Maharashtra from Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts from Tuesday.
Services from the Belagavi division, halted on Saturday, remain suspended.
“I have instructed the zonal IGP and SP to submit a report. A Pocso case was filed against the accused in this incident. I have asked for a review and a report on this matter,” Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said.
Regarding protests by Kannada organisations, he affirmed that demonstrations were permitted but warned against violent actions.
“Kannada organisations have been allowed to protest today (Tuesday). They must conduct a peaceful protest. If there is any violence, action will be taken according to the law. Maharashtra government buses are not entering Karnataka, and Karnataka buses are not going to Maharashtra. At present, bus services between the two states have been suspended, and operations will resume once the situation stabilises.”