UNRULY BUS OPERATORS ARRESTED UNDER SECTION 151 CrPC

PANJIM: Frustration at not getting their way saw 16 unruly bus operators being arrested under Section 151 of the IPC for disrupting bus services at the Kadamba bus stand on Wednesday.  A section of private bus operators first barged into the transport director’s office to get him to revoke the suspensions and show cause notices issued on Tuesday for an illegal bandh resorted to by them on Friday. But he refused to give in and asked them to approach the concerned licensing authority and get the necessary relief.

After the director, Mr Arun Dessai refused to accede to their demands, the operators led by their leader, Sudip Tamankar accosted and unleashed a verbal unprovoked attack on the media covering the scene leading to a complaint filed with the town police by the Goa Union of Journalists and the Photo Journalists Association.

Later, the bus operators went to the KTC stand and tried to disrupt the other buses to create a situation and try to show their might. This was brought under control and 16 persons were first detained and then arrested by the police, including Tamankar.

It may be recalled that a certain section of the private bus owners had resorted to a strike on Friday in support of their demands and had also alleged that they were being harassed by the transport department. The private bus operators had also demanded a review of the 50 per cent bus fare concession for students.

However, the government under pressure from the society, given that the mode of transport is used by a majority of the office goers, had cracked down on the notoriously lax private bus operators. On Tuesday, the government had issued show cause notices to some 399 bus permit holders and suspended 50 temporary permits.