'Did not approach for ticket': Bus conductor 'slaps' musician in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Furious after being issued a penalty memo of Rs 500 by a line checking inspector for not issuing a ticket, a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) conductor allegedly slapped a musician, who failed to buy one, blaming him for the reprimand.Hriday Raj boarded a BMTC bus from Devanahalli Friday evening, around 6pm after attending a show. The bus was heading to Majestic. Raj told TOI, "It was a tiring day, and I dozed off after boarding the bus. Usually, conductors approach passengers for tickets, but this did not happen. After around 45 minutes, a man in a uniform approached me and asked me for my ticket. I told him I needed a ticket to Majestic. He told me he was a line checking inspector.

The official said I should pay the penalty for travelling without a ticket and briefed me about the rules. I apologised and paid a penalty of Rs 420."

Raj said after the ticket checking staff alighted from the bus, all of a sudden, the conductor slapped him. "Without any provocation, he slapped me. When I asked him why he did that, he started hurling abuses at me. Even I shouted at him for assaulting me. After the bus reached Majestic bus stand around 8.30pm, the conductor refused to come to the police station.

I dialled 112 and after police arrived, they took me to BMTC office.

I raised a complaint against the conductor. I then went to Upparpet police station, where they told me it would take one hour for the conductor to arrive. As it was too late and I had a show scheduled the next day, I had to leave the police station."He said, "The conductor should apologise. I am also waiting for a response from BMTC on the action they have taken."

Hriday Raj posted a video of the incident on social media and photos of marks on his face, which went viral. In the video, other passengers can be heard saying physical assault by the conductor is unacceptable. A BMTC official said around 7.45 pm, a line checking inspector boarded the bus (KA 57 F 4029) at Hebbal as part of routine checks and issued a challan of Rs 420 to a passenger travelling without a ticket. "Allowing passengers to travel without a ticket is a dereliction of duty, and the line checking inspector also issued a memo or red notice to the conductor. There are provisions to collect a penalty of up to Rs 1,000 and transfer the conductor to another depot.

After the line checking inspector alighted the bus at Guttahalli, the conductor allegedly went and slapped the passenger." The official said it is the duty of passenger to purchase ticket after boarding the bus.