Bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra have been suspended following attacks on buses and their crew.
"We have suspended bus services to Maharashtra since yesterday (Monday). The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has also stopped operating buses to Karnataka," a senior officer of the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation said.
The decision was taken given the tension prevailing in the border district of Belagavi over a sensitive issue, he explained.
Meanwhile, both factions of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, T A Narayana Gowda and Praveen Shetty, staged demonstrations.
Later, the pro-Kannada activists courted arrest.
Gowda and Shetty separately met conductor Mahadevappa Hukkeri in the morning and assured him of all possible assistance.
Speaking to reporters, Gowda said the KRV would not tolerate miscreants damaging Karnataka vehicles and attacking Kannadigas for not speaking Marathi.
He also slammed Karnataka politicians for taking the issue lightly and not responding appropriately.
Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy maintained that the situation in Belagavi was normal and that there was nothing to worry about.
He added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directed Karnataka chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh and DGP Alok Mohan to speak to their counterparts in Maharashtra and ensure the safety of buses and crew from both states.
"Our buses are not going to Maharashtra. There are 509 scheduled services every day. From Maharashtra, 130-140 buses come to Karnataka. This is affecting people who commute between both states," he told reporters in Bengaluru.
Apart from one incident of a Maharashtra bus being defaced in Chitradurga, no other such incidents have occurred in Karnataka, he said.
"Organisations have staged protests, but they have not indulged in such acts. However, protesters in Maharashtra have defaced our buses and smeared colours on our drivers. Our Chief Secretary has spoken to officials in Maharashtra. I have brought the entire matter to the notice of the Chief Minister," Reddy said.
Noting that the conductor who was assaulted is likely to be discharged on Wednesday, Reddy said the POCSO case against him was "false" and an afterthought.
The language row in Belagavi began after a group of people allegedly intercepted a KSRTC bus and assaulted its conductor and driver for not speaking to a passenger in Marathi.
The passenger, a minor girl, also filed a complaint stating that the conductor misbehaved with her.
Meanwhile, the family of the minor girl, on whose complaint a case under the POCSO Act was registered against the bus conductor on Monday, issued a video statement saying they had decided to withdraw the case and urged people to stop escalating the matter into a language dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.
In a video statement purportedly released by the family, a woman believed to be the girl's mother recalled the incident, stating that when her son and daughter were travelling from Belagavi to Balekundri after visiting the hospital, an altercation over a bus ticket occurred, which was falsely projected as a Kannada-Marathi issue.
"Injustice has happened to our daughter. Considering the situation, we will withdraw the case. We request people to stop all this. There is no pressure from anyone to withdraw the case. We are voluntarily withdrawing it," she added.
Belagavi police commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang told PTI that he came across the video statement through the media, in which the girl's family expressed their desire to withdraw the case, but they had not yet approached the police.
"First, the victim's family will have to record their statement officially at the police station. Certain procedures need to be followed to close the case, and we will proceed accordingly once we record their statements," he said.
Meanwhile, the inspector of Marihal police station has been transferred for "delaying" the registration of the bus conductor's complaint regarding the alleged assault, a senior police officer said.
The issue escalated when buses from both states were defaced and drivers were attacked.
Reacting to the tense situation in Belagavi, the state Home Minister told media, "We have sensitised the inspector general of police and the superintendent of police of the region. Pro-Kannada organisations have planned to stage a protest today, and we have granted permission for it. We have instructed them to ensure a peaceful demonstration without any disturbance."
He warned of strict action against those who disrupt peace.
The minister said neither Maharashtra government buses were coming to Karnataka, nor were Karnataka government buses going to Maharashtra.
"In the current situation, government buses from both states have been stopped. However, private buses are still operating. Once the situation improves, services will resume," he explained.
Regarding the POCSO case against the conductor, Parameshwara said, "I have asked for it to be verified. I have requested a report on why the case was registered."
Regarding the transfer of the police station inspector, he said such actions are routine in the police department.
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