Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leaders protest against the continuing animosity between pro-Kannada and pro-Marathi organisations in Belagavi

Belagavi: On Tuesday, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leaders and employees demonstrated against the persistent hostilities between pro-Kannada and pro-Marathi factions in Belagavi. On February 22, a KSRTC bus conductor was reportedly beaten up in Belagavi for failing to speak Marathi.

In order to uphold law and order and the public interest, Praveen Shetty, the leader of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, has been placed into preventive arrest, according to DCP Belagavi Rohan Jagadeesh. The demonstration took place in the center of a major thoroughfare.

During his visit to Belagavi BIMS Hospital earlier on Monday, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy asked about the condition of Mahadevappa Hukkeri, the bus conductor who was beaten after a linguistic argument in Belagavi. For the last three days, Mahadevappa Hukkeri has been undergoing treatment at Belagavi BIMS Hospital.

A group of young people who speak Marathi reportedly attacked the bus driver and Mahadevappa Hukkeri of the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) on Friday at approximately 12:30 PM because they were unable to communicate in Marathi.

“Everyone supports the bus conductor, not just the Karnataka Road Transport department,” said Minister Ramalinga Reddy. The POCSO complaint against the bus conductor, which is lodged with the police, is fraudulent.

Five suspects have been taken into custody in relation to the attack so far. In Belagavi, a gang of young people reportedly attacked a bus driver and conductor of the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) after they got into a fight about language.

The incident occurred near Sulebhavi on February 21 at about 12:30 pm, according to the authorities. Due to his inability to communicate in Marathi, the conductor was reportedly intimidated by a lad and a girl who had boarded the semi-urban CBT-Sulebhavi bus. The conductor was beaten when they summoned their accomplices. According to Belagavi Police, the girl also filed a complaint, claiming that the conductor had made offensive statements to her.