Mumbai: A state transport conductor was suspended for allegedly molesting a woman onboard a Maharashtra State Road Transport Coporation (MSRTC) bus. The incident took place on April 8 night while the victim was travelling from Lalbaug to Satara to drop her grandmother.
The conductor, who was allegedly drunk, molested the 21-year-old woman who was sitting on the first seat. The Govandi police registered the FIR, and the case was transferred to the Bhoiwada police station, according to a report in Loksatta.
The incident happened around 8:30 PM when the bus left from Mumbai Central depot. The conductor who had completed his duty on the same bus and was enroute home in Navi Mumbai, acted inappropriately as soon as the bus reached the Maitri Park area in Chembur. He grabbed the hand of the victim and behaved rudely with her.
When the victim shouted for help the conductor managed to get down and ran away. Angry passengers beat up the on-duty conductor for allowing the culprit get away. They also did not allow the bus to continue its joruney till the case was filed. A case has been filed against the conductor, and further investigation is underway, according to police. The accused, Vilas Munde, has since been suspended.
MSRTC officials stated that due to the seriousness of the case, the conductor has been immediately suspended, and the process of registering a case is underway. To ensure passenger safety, CCTV cameras will be installed in all new and old buses, according to MSRTC vice chairman and managing director Dr Madhav Kusekar, a report said.
