K'taka: 15-yr-old gangraped in bus by 4 KSRTC staffers; 3 arrested

Hubballi: In a horrific incident, a 15-year old girl was gangraped in a government bus by a conductor and three drivers while she was returning to Udupi from Ranebennur, in Haveri district.

The victim, a native of Udupi, had reportedly gone to Ranebennur to meet her friend. 

Udupi police have detained three of them and a search is on to nab an absconding driver.

North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) authorities on Tuesday suspended all the four from service. 

Though the incident occurred on July 5, the police managed to detain three of them on Monday after a thorough investigation. 

The parents of the girl hail from Belagavi and had settled in Udupi. They were daily wage construction workers.

Police officials said the victim had visited Ranebennur to meet one of her friends. While returning to Udupi at night, she was the lone passenger and all the four raped her. They also frightened her to silence.

The girl reached Udupi in state of shock and informed her parents, who rushed her to a local hospital. Later, they approached Udupi police station. The police officials took her to Ranebennur and arrested three of the accused after she identified them. 

The arrested have been identified as Raghu Badiger (35) a bus conductor of Ranibennur depot, V.R. Hiremath (45) and V.C. Kattigar (45), both drivers of Hirekerur bus depot.

Inspector Naveenchandra Jogi said the victim belongs to migrant community and a case has been lodged under Posco Act at Udupi Mahila police station. Police have also seized the bus in which the crime was committed.