Karnataka: KSRTC bus driver arrested for firing in air, threatening conductor in Kodagu

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Dec 11, 2024, 12:27 PM IST

Karnataka police arrested KSRTC driver Venugopal for firing a shot in the air and threatening co-driver Rupesh Kumar over a route change dispute. Passengers’ complaints led to Venugopal’s reassignment, triggering the altercation. Police have registered a case and initiated further investigation.

Karnataka police have arrested a KSRTC driver, Venugopal, for allegedly threatening to kill his co-driver, Rupesh Kumar, and firing a shot in the air in a public place. The incident reportedly occurred after a dispute over a route change assigned to Venugopal.

Venugopal, a driver from the KSRTC Madikeri unit, had been driving the bus on the Madikeri-Birunani route via Virajpet and Ponnampet. Rupesh Kumar was his co-driver on duty. According to reports, passengers had complained about Venugopal frequently using his mobile phone while driving. This led to the unit manager reassigning him to a different route.

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Angered by the decision, Venugopal blamed Rupesh Kumar for the route change. On Monday evening, he arrived at the KSRTC unit with a firearm he claimed to have inherited. Venugopal confronted Rupesh Kumar, accusing him of being responsible for the reassignment. He then stepped outside the unit, fired a shot into the air, and threatened to kill Rupesh Kumar.

Frightened by the incident, Rupesh Kumar filed a complaint at the Madikeri City Police Station. The police promptly registered a case and arrested Venugopal. During the investigation, the police recovered a cartridge from the location where the shot was fired.

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Speaking to the media, Rupesh Kumar claimed that Venugopal had a history of conflicts. "He had previously gotten into fights with private bus drivers and was transferred to the Puttur unit because of his behaviour. On the Madikeri-Birunani route, he caused several minor accidents, leading to public complaints against him. Despite his actions, he accused me of being the cause of his troubles and tried to intimidate me by firing a shot in a public place," Kumar explained.

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Kodagu Superintendent of Police, K. Ramarajan, confirmed the incident and stated, "Venugopal acted out of anger and fired a shot in the air to threaten Rupesh Kumar. A case has been registered under the relevant sections, and he has been arrested. Further legal action will follow based on the investigation."

The incident has raised concerns over the conduct of KSRTC staff and passenger safety, with authorities promising to take strict action to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

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