Bhubaneswar: The safety of commuters has come under question on the ubiquitous Mo Bus service that carries thousands of passengers every day between the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
On Saturday evening, a bus going from Dumduma to Master Canteen (Route No. 25) here fell prey to a gang of robbers. Between Rajmahal Square and Master Canteen, at least four passengers were robbed of mobile phones, wallets, cash and ATM cards.
As the bus reached its destination and people realised the robbery, they created a ruckus at the terminal. It was reported that some relatives of one of the victims created a ruckus by claiming the bus staff were hand in glove with the robbers. This incensed all the bus staffers and they allegedly attacked the victim’s relatives, further escalating the tension in the area. Capital police station cops had to rush to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Police complaint was registered by both the parties and the police have started a probe by collecting the footage from the CCTV camera fitted inside the bus.
“I had Rs 5,000 cash and a mobile phone, both of which are gone,” said Rina Rani Halder, who was one of the victims of the heist.
“There were many people on the bus, with several of them standing in the aisle. In a packed crowd it is very difficult to ascertain who the thieves were and when or how they committed the crime,” said another passenger.
These government-run buses are often in news for the wrong reasons. People said unsavoury incidents were common on these buses.
Earlier, in March 2021 a conductor of such a bus was alleged to have pushed a passenger out of the vehicle in Hanspal area on the outskirts of the city. In March 2020, a trader was robbed of Rs 44,000 in a Mo Bus.
There are over 300 buses operating on several routes under the Mo Bus facility, with a daily ridership of over 85,000.
