Moga incident: BKU protests, demand FIR against bus owners

The protesters warned the state govt that if case against the bus owners and company was not registered by police, they would stage rallies in front of administrative complexes at all the district headquarters on May 12

Members of the farmer union today staged dharna here demanding registration of case against the bus owners in connection with death of a teenage girl who was allegedly molested and thrown off a bus in Moga on April 29.

Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) divisions- Ekta, Ugrahan and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union - staged a dharna in front of Baghapurana police station protesting against operations of Orbit buses.

The protesters warned the state government that if case against the bus owners and company was not registered by police, they would stage rallies in front of administrative complexes at all the district headquarters on May 12, Sukhdev Singh Kokri, General Secretary of BKU (Ekta) said here.

Kokri claimed that the driver of the Moga bus tragedy was also driving without a valid driving licence and the bus was covered with curtains and window panes with black sheets.

A woman and her teenaged daughter were allegedly molested and thrown off a running bus belonging to the ruling Badal family in Punjab, leaving the girl dead and mother seriously wounded, and kicking up a political storm.

The incident sparked widespread protest against Badal-led Punjab government while political parties and social organisations had demanded registration of criminal case against the bus owners.

The girl's body was consigned to flames at her village Lande Ke on May 3 after father of the victim agreed to conducting of post-mortem and cremation of the body, besides accepting the offer of compensation and a government job.