Asked to stop bus, Orbit staff assault youth in Jalandhar

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 9

Orbit bus staff reportedly assaulted a youth here after he requested the driver to stop the bus at a particular place today. Orbit Aviation that is owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal was recently in the news after a 14-year-old girl was molested and thrown off its bus. She had died.

Victim Maninder Saini (27) of Goraya was travelling from Amritsar to Jalandhar on an Orbit bus. He was to alight at PAP Chowk to catch another bus for Goraya. Maninder is pursuing Masters in Physical Education from GNDU, Amritsar.

The victim, who is undergoing treatment at Jalandhar Civil Hospital, alleged he asked the bus driver to stop the bus near PAP Chowk, but he did not pay heed to his pleas.

“When I urged the driver to stop the bus, he got furious and stopped the bus. The driver and the conductor dragged me out of the bus and started beating me. They hit a screw driver on my head, and I started bleeding profusely,” he said.

Sources said the assailants let the youth off after some women passengers intervened. The victim said one of his friends later rushed him to the civil hospital. Sources said the victim was administrated two stitches on his head. He was out of danger.

The victim had recorded his statement with the police and demanded action against the bus driver and the conductor. Rama Mandi police additional SHO Hans Raj said ASI Daljinder Singh was investigating the matter.