Representative image of a school bus.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: A group of six men allegedly intercepted a school bus near Hebbagodi on the outskirts of Bengaluru and attacked the driver on Monday after he reportedly did not leave enough space for their car to overtake.
The incident occurred around 3.45 pm while the bus driver, James Dhon, was ferrying at least 10 schoolchildren home.
A video of the altercation, shared on X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral, causing alarm among parents.
Following a complaint filed by Dhon later that evening, the police arrested three people in connection with the incident. An FIR was lodged under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), and 190 (unlawful assembly).
The FIR stated that the men, traveling in a Mahindra Scorpio (KA 01 MB 5796), intercepted the bus, forcibly removed Dhon from the driver’s seat, and began assaulting him.
The schoolchildren on board were left bewildered and scared by the unfolding violence.
CK Baba, Superintendent of Police (SP), Bengaluru Rural, stated that the altercation stemmed from the men’s frustration at being unable to overtake the bus.
“The driver of the car was repeatedly honking, demanding that the bus driver make way. However, due to the narrow road and ongoing traffic, the bus could not accommodate the car,” Baba explained.
The Hebbagodi police have identified the car’s owner and used the information to track down the suspects. The car has been seized besides the arrest of three people. A manhunt is underway for the remaining suspects.
Authorities have asked citizens caught in road rage incidents to call 112 and report to the police immediately.