Bus conductor tries to molest young woman during night journey from Nagpur
A 21 year old woman travelling alone by night bus from Nagpur to Madhya Pradesh resisted a molestation attempt by the conductor and later filed a police complaint.
Women travelling alone by bus at night are not safe. A young woman travelling from Nagpur to her village in Madhya Pradesh was allegedly subjected to an attempted molestation by a bus conductor while the bus was moving. She managed to save herself by resisting. The incident came to light after she returned to Nagpur. Sitabuldi police have registered a case of molestation based on her complaint.
The 21 year old woman works at the bungalow of a businessman living in the Sitabuldi area. On September 7 she was travelling to her village in Madhya Pradesh. She boarded a Vijayant Travels bus at the MP stand at night. As other passengers were also on board, she went to her berth and fell asleep. According to her complaint, at around 10.30 pm during the journey, while she was asleep, she felt someone touch her. She saw the bus conductor walking away. Thinking the touch may have been accidental, she did not react. With few passengers around her seat, the conductor grew bolder.
In the middle of the night, while the woman was asleep, the conductor came near her seat again and began to molest her. She gathered courage and resisted him. The conductor grabbed her legs. She began to shout. Fearing a commotion, the conductor let her go. Since she was alone, she thought it best to stay quiet at the time. Her family members have a hot temper, and she worried that telling them in the village would create a dispute. On reaching Nagpur on September 16, she informed her employer about the incident. With his help, she went to Sitabuldi police station and lodged a complaint. Police have registered a case of molestation and begun an investigation. Two days after the case was registered, the accused conductor has not yet been caught by police.
Many women travel alone on such buses at night, and incidents of women being raped on buses have come to light from time to time. This incident has raised questions over the safety of women on travel buses. Inspector Suhas Raut of Sitabuldi police station confirmed the incident and said a search was on for the accused.
