The bus belonged to Orbit company, reportedly owned by the ruling Badal family, which came under fire from rivals parties.
A 16-year-old girl died and her mother was critically injured after they were reportedly thrown off from a moving bus while resisting molestation on Wednesday evening, 10 kilometres from Moga in Punjab. The conductor and cleaner of the bus, reportedly belonging to a company owned by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's family, were on Thursday arrested by the police in connection with the horrific incident.
The mother and daughter belonging to Landeh village, had boarded the almost empty bus to travel from Moga to Bhagapurana when a helper of the bus allegedly started molesting them. The woman has said in her statement that she approached the bus conductor for help and pleaded for the driver to stop the bus, to no avail. Both the mother and daughter were reportedly harassed for 15 minutes by the conductor, cleaner and one more unidentified person on the bus, after which they both were thrown out from the moving vehicle. The police had earlier said that the duo had jumped out in desperation. The girl died on the spot, while the mother was rushed to the Moga Civil hospital
The woman's 10-year-old son was also accompanying them at the time of the incident. However, he continued to remain seated inside the bus and was later on handed over to the family by the police.
The bus belonged to Orbit company, reportedly owned by ruling Badal family, which came under fire from rivals parties with Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann demanding that they come clean on the issue. Congress demanded a judicial inquiry saying that local authorities will not be able to act against the staff of the company because of the political links.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the incident was "very unfortunate" and promised swift action against the guilty even as he insisted he "never took interest" in the company's affairs and had "never visited its office".
The deputy CM's wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur has called the incident highly objectionable and condemnable. She said that the two accused were immediately detained and the investigation is still going on. "Strictest punishment will be given to the culprits. They should be condemned in the strongest possible words," Kaur said.
Moga's Superintendent of Police (Detective) H S Pannu said the bus has been impounded and a case has been registered under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
(With Agency Inputs)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}