The couple had boarded the bus by mistake. Instead of guiding them towards the correct route, the conductor allegedly began abusing them and making communal remarks
NEW DELHI — A Muslim couple was allegedly assaulted and subjected to Islamophobic abuse by a conductor of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) after they mistakenly boarded a bus heading to Shivamogga instead of K R Pete (Krishnarajapete).
A video of the incident shared on X, has drawn attention to the alleged harassment, with the conductor reportedly making derogatory remarks targeting the couple’s religious identity.
According to the reports, the couple had boarded the bus by mistake. Instead of helping them understand their mistake and guiding them towards the correct route, the conductor allegedly began abusing them and making communal remarks.
Among the statements attributed to him was, “Is this Pakistan or Afghanistan?” — a remark reportedly directed at the Muslim man’s appearance, including his beard and skullcap. The conductor is also accused of making other hateful comments and physically assaulting the couple.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the treatment of Muslim passengers in public transport and the alleged use of religious identity to humiliate and intimidate ordinary commuters.
A video of the incident went viral on Tuesday, drawing condemnation and criticism from social media users.
According to the users, a mistake in boarding a bus is a routine situation that can happen to any passenger; it is the responsibility of the transport staff to assist commuters, provide directions and help them reach their intended destinations.
One user on X wrote, “Is this kind of behaviour accepted from the state transport bus conductors towards fellow passengers, using racist slurs? What action has been taken and initiated against such behaviour towards passengers?”
At the time of writing, no official response from KSRTC or details of any police action were available.
