City buses stay off road in protest against eve-tease arrest

Jamshedpur: City buses went off the road for an indeinite period from today in protest against the arrest of one a bus operator in connection with the alleged eve teasing of three girl students two days back in Jamshedpur, with one of the girls still under treatment after jumping off the vehicle to escape the tormentors.

The arrest followed after three girl students of a local school jumped off a running bus to escape eve-teasers two days ago under Sakchi police station area.

“We will not ply buses (city buses) till adequate security arrangement is made to ensure safety of passengers as well as the operators,” Secretary of Sikschit Berojgaar Mini-Bus Association, Jamshedpur, Sanjay Pandey said.

“What was the fault of the bus owners?,” he wondered accusing the East Singhbhum distirct administration of undue harassment.

One of the seriously injured students, admitted to M G M Hospital, was still undergoing treatment.

A senior police officer along with force had arrived at the Association’s office soon after three girl students jumped off from a running bus to escape eve-teasers on Saturday last.

The police officer had assaulted the staff of the Association and abused them while asking them to reveal the name and address of the concerned bus owner and his staff including the driver.

“The police officer had detained even me though we had sincerely co-operated with the administration and produced the accused driver, who had fled following the incident,” Pandey said.

Though the owner of the bus had also produced himself despite not committing anything wrong, he was too detained while the officer misbehaved with a lady – the owner’s wife – who had gone to meet him along with two other the very next day, Pandey alleged.

Pandey said about 120 city buses are operating throughout the city and vicinity and we have now decided to keep the buses off the road till adequate security arrangement was made.

Meanwhile, several social organizations and students have been visiting the hospital to enquire about the health of the girl.

It was not the usual bus in which they generally travel from Sakchi to Mango, the police informed.