Police tighten noose around erring bus drivers

After three girl students of ADlS High School in Sakchi jumped out of a minibus near Hathi-Ghora Temple at Sakchi near the Mango bridge after being teased by a group of three younsters last afternoon, police have decided to tighten the noose around erring bus drivers and conductors.On Saturday, one of the girls sustained injuries as she jumped from a running bus, where as two others sustained minor injuries. The victims had requested the driver and conductor of the minibus to stop the vehicle, but they did not pay heed to their request.

A meeting of the minibus owners was held and they were asked to provide the names and phone numbers of the drivers and conductors to the DSP (traffic) Vivekanand Thakur.“We want to ensure safety of passengers and by keeping the phone numbers of the drivers and conductors, we want them to be accountable for any eve-teasing incident on the bus. If such incident of eve-teasing takes place,  the driver and conductor will be responsible to immediately inform the DSP (traffic) so that the culprits are nabbed soon,” said deputy superintendent of police (city) Animesh Nathani

According to information more than 120 minibuses ply in the city on as many as 17 routes, most of the buses start from the Sakchi minibus stand. From Sakchi bus stand alone,  47 minibuses ply on the routes like Sakchi to Azadnagar in Mango, Sakchi to Dimna Road, connecting other areas.The police officials informed that they have nabbed two of the three eve-teasers on the statement by the victims besides the driver and conductor of the minibus on Saturday evening, and sent all four to Ghaghidih Central Jail  on Sunday after producing them before the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

Following the incident the college and school students are under fear. Monica Das a student of Graduate School College for Women in Sakchi always uses auto rickshaw for going back to her home at Jugsalai instead of boarding a minibus. She said though traveling by auto rickshaw is a bit costlier, but as there is little scope for falling victim to molestation which is common in minibuses on Sakchi-Jugsalai route she uses auto rickshaw.  

like Monica, other students too hold similar view about traveling to college from their home and returning back to home by auto rickshaw.  Jyoti Kumari, a student of Graduate School College for Women, said that eve-teasers continue to make the life of women commuters especially the students, hell. Men standing near the campus showing vulgar gestures is  a regular sight. This is very disgusting.  “The situation has worsened over few months. Many times these men use cheap language and follow us till our homes. It is high time for the police to act,” said student of Jamshedpur Women’s College.

An officer of Sakchi police station said that they are keeping strict vigil in colleges and schools under their area but they would also like women to come forward and identify these men and help police to act against them.