Karnataka: Woman Pelts Stone At State-Run Bus, Fined

A 38-year-old woman was penalised after she pelted stones at a Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) in Karnataka’s Koppal district, officials said on Monday.

According to local reports, the woman identified as Lakshmi was waiting to board a bus at Hosalingapur village in Koppal. When a KKRTC bus did not stop, she threw a stone that damaged the window glass of the bus in a bid to force the stoppage.

Soon after the incident, the bus driver Muthappa, along with Lakshmi, drove to the Munirabad Police Station. 

When asked why she pelted stone at the bus, Lakshmi claimed that she was enraged as many buses passed in front of her but none stopped while she waited for about four hours amid rains at the bus stop.

While the driver wanted to lodge a complaint, the Hospet bus depot manager sought a fine of ₹5,000. Lakshmi was given a stern warning that a case would be registered against her if she refused to pay the fine.

Meanwhile, the driver-cum-conductor of the bus, stated that Lakshmi and her companions stood on the wrong side. The bus stop for their destination was on the opposite side from where they were standing, he pointed out.

"They were supposed to go to Ilkal, while we were heading towards Hosapete. They were standing on the wrong side of the road and should have waited at the bus stop on the opposite side. Since our bus is a non-stop service, we don't make any stops along the way. It was at this point that she threw a stone at the bus," he said.

The woman later apologised for the mistake and appealed to the police to not file a complaint against her. She then paid a fine of ₹5,000 and left in the same bus, said police.

The incident comes weeks after the Congress-led Karnataka government’s ‘Shakti’ scheme came into effect making bus travel free for all women from the state.

Suggested Reading: Free Bus Ride For Women: Karnataka Scheme Has Limitations, Need To Be Addressed