Sat Feb 22 17:01:04 UTC 2025: ## Maharashtra Suspends Bus Services to Karnataka After Attack on MSRTC Bus

**Belagavi/Mumbai, India** – Maharashtra has suspended all state transport bus services to Karnataka following an attack on a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus in Chitradurga. Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced the suspension on Saturday, stating that the bus, traveling from Bengaluru to Mumbai, was attacked by pro-Kannada activists around 9:10 pm on Friday. The driver, Bhaskar Jadhav, was assaulted and had his face blackened. A police case has been registered in Karnataka. Sarnaik vowed to reinstate services only after the Karnataka government clarifies its stance on the incident.

This incident follows another alleged assault, this time of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus conductor near Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra. The conductor, Mahadevappa Mallappa Hukkeri, claims he was attacked for not responding to a girl speaking in Marathi. He stated that he informed the girl that he did not understand Marathi and asked her to speak in Kannada. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with this assault. However, a counter-complaint led to Hukkeri being charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, with allegations of inappropriate remarks towards the 14-year-old girl. Investigations are ongoing into both the assault and the counter-complaint.

Belagavi Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang confirmed the arrests related to the assault on the conductor and stated that investigations are underway to determine the truth of the matter. He also acknowledged the long-standing tensions in the region due to the border dispute and assured that efforts were being made to maintain law and order.

Protests erupted in Belagavi following the incidents, with pro-Kannada activists blocking roads and burning effigies before being dispersed by police. The ongoing border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, and the significant Marathi-speaking population in Belagavi, adds a complex layer to the escalating situation. The suspension of bus services highlights the growing tensions between the two states.

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