Twitter
Advertisement

Punjab: Girl dies, mother injured as molesters throw her out of bus owned by Badals

The police have arrested three people, including the driver and conductor of the bus, on charges of murder and attempt to murder and have impounded the bus.

Latest News
article-main
1. As journey starts, some youths start harassing the 14-year-girl2. Her mother reports the matter to the conductor, but he too joins the goons3. As the mother-daughter duo protests, the youths push them out of the bus4. The minor girl dies on the spot, while the mother suffers serious injuries
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

A 14-year-old girl lost her life and her mother suffered serious injuries after they were allegedly thrown out of a moving bus while resisting molestation by some youth in Moga district of Punjab. The bus belongs to Orbit Aviation Private Limited, which is owned by Punjab's first family - the Badals.

The police have arrested three people, including the driver and conductor of the bus, on charges of murder and attempt to murder and have impounded the bus.

Punjab's first family comprises chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and central minister of food and processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is Sukhbir Badal's wife and Parkash Singh Badal's daughter-in-law.

Deceased Arshdeep Kaur (14) along with her mother Shinder Kaur (38) and brother Akashdeep Singh (15) had boarded the Bathinda-bound bus near Moga bypass on Wednesday evening. The family was headed for Bhagpurna village. Among the passengers were a group of youth.

As they began the journey, the youth allegedly started passing sleazy comments at the girl. When Shinder objected and brought it to the notice of conductor-cum-bus cleaner, he instead of intervening joined the youth. The harassment apparently went on for 15 minutes. Despite Shinder pleading to the driver to halt the bus, he refused to do so.

In his statement to the police, Akashdeep, one of the prime witnesses, said the molesters then threw his mother and sister out of the running bus. Earlier, some preliminary reports had said that the mother-daughter duo had jumped off the vehicle to avoid being molested by the goons.

The police said Arshdeep died on the spot, while Shinder sustained severe injuries. She was taken to Moga Civil Hospital.

Terming the incident "very unfortunate", CM Parkash Singh Badal promised swift action against the guilty even as he insisted he "never took interest" in the company's affairs of Orbit Aviation and had "never visited its office". Food and processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, "I condemn the incident and we would look into the matter."

Orbit Aviation Private Limited is a company in which the Badal's flagship transport company Orbit Transport was merged in 2010. Sukhbir Badal holds shares in Orbit Aviation in three different ways – direct shares, shares through his hospitality firm Orbit Resorts and shares through media firm called G-Next Media Private Limited.

Orbit Aviation is not the only bus transport companies owned by the Badals. They have several other companies and have "virtually hijacked" the bus transport business in Punjab. The other transportation companies are Dabwali Transport Corporation Private Limited and Indo Canadian Transports Company Private Limited. All their transport companies have been in news over the past eight years and have faced allegations of blatant high-handedness and misuse of power.

Meanwhile, Punjab director general of police said they have arrested three people in connection with the case and maintained that no special treatment is being given to the bus company, owned by deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. The DGP, however, ruled out interrogation of the Deputy CM.

The incident also rocked the parliament, with Congress and AAP MPs from Punjab demanding action in the lines of the Nirbhaya case where the bus company owner was also booked. Following the uproar, the ministry of home affairs also asked the state to submit a report about the incident.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement