Man stabs Bengaluru bus conductor after being told not to stand near door; video surfaces

During interrogation, the accused told police that he did not do it intentionally (Image: Screengrab/X)

A 23-year-old man has been arrested for stabbing a bus conductor in Bengaluru. The conductor had reportedly asked him to step away from the vehicle's door for safety reasons.

As per reports, the accused had recently become unemployed and struggled to find new work. He was identified as Harsha Sinha, a native of Jharkhand.

The video of the incident that occurred in Whitefield on Tuesday evening was widely shared on social media platforms. The alleged video of the incident depicts passengers fleeing the bus in fear after being threatened by Sinha, who also caused damage to the bus windows.

Shocked to hear about the terrorising act of a passenger named Harsha Sinha stabbing a BMTC bus conductor during daylight hours in BengaluruRequest @BlrCityPolice to book & arrest the assailant under terrorism charges for hijacking the bus, stabbing the conductor, threatening pic.twitter.com/SXHpvwGEPR

Karnataka Weather (@Bnglrweatherman) October 2, 2024

The accused was reportedly frustrated due to being unemployed for approximately three weeks.

The incident occurred near ITPL bus stop when the 45-year-old conductor of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus, Yogesh asked Sinha to move away from the footboard for safety as he was interrupting boarding and de-boarding of passengers, police told PTI.

This led to a verbal dispute between the two men which eventually turned violent, with Sinha allegedly pulling out a knife from his bag and stabbing the conductor.

"The bus conductor was admitted to a hospital. He sustained two-three stab injuries but is stated to be out of danger now. The accused passenger has been arrested in the attempt to murder case registered against him," a senior police officer was quoted as saying by PTI.

During interrogation, the accused told police that he did not do it intentionally and that he was frustrated since he was fired from job some 20 days ago, he said.

In a statement, BMTC said the conductor Yogesh, while performing his duties, instructed Sinha, to move away from the bus’s middle doors for safety reasons. The passenger, however, reacted violently and attacked the conductor, stabbing him in a sudden outburst.

"Following the attack, Sinha threatened other passengers and demanded they vacate the bus immediately. In a further act of aggression, the assailant used a hammer to damage the bus’s windows and other property," it stated.