Delhi Police have arrested the driver and conductor of a sleeper bus after a 16-year-old girl alleged that she was sexually assaulted while the vehicle was travelling from Noida towards Delhi. The girl was later left near Kashmiri Gate on Ring Road and contacted the police, according to media reports citing police officials.
The accused have been identified as Kuldeep, the driver, and Sandeep, the conductor. North Delhi DCP Niharika Bhatt told Hindustan Times that both men were arrested on the day of the incident from a parking area in Timarpur. They have been sent to judicial custody, while the girl has been handed over to her family.
Police have taken possession of the bus and sent it for forensic examination. The allegations remain subject to the investigation and legal process.
What police say happened
According to media reports citing police, the girl is a Class 11 student from Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. After an argument with family members, she had left home without informing them to visit a relative in Noida Sector 63.
Reports say she got off near Pari Chowk on the night of 4 August because of rain and darkness. An empty sleeper bus with curtains then stopped near her. The conductor allegedly told her that the bus would drop her at Noida Sector 63.
The bus had reportedly returned empty after repairs at a workshop in Surajpur. The girl alleged that the conductor began behaving improperly soon after the bus started moving. Police told Hindustan Times that she was sexually assaulted and threatened with death when she resisted.
The distance between Pari Chowk and Kashmiri Gate is more than 40 kilometres. The girl remained in the bus with the accused during that journey before she was allegedly left near Kashmiri Gate.
Bus company account
Monu Gupta, the manager of the bus travel company, told ANI that the vehicle had remained at Surajpur Himigiri for repairs from 27 July to 4 August. He said the bus had been immobilised because a sensor was unavailable.
Gupta said the vehicle was repaired and left the workshop at 5pm on 4 August, but stopped on the way. He said it was taken onward at 9pm and that the company had instructed the driver and conductor to go to Timarpur for minor work on the vehicle.
According to Gupta, the company believed the bus had reached Timarpur before Delhi authorities called to say it had been seized and that the 2 employees had been jailed over the allegations. He also said both men were from Kanpur Dehat and had worked for the company for the past 2 years.
Political response
The incident has triggered criticism from Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Communist Party of India, with leaders questioning Delhi Police and the central government.
Congress said on X that the alleged assault continued inside a moving bus for close to 50 kilometres and criticised what it described as a failure of policing across 2 states. The party questioned patrols and checks and said the incident raised concerns about claims related to women’s safety and law and order.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj referred to 3 criminal incidents in comments to ANI and held Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directly responsible. CPI leader Annie Raja said Delhi Police should focus fully on protecting people’s lives and livelihoods and on preventing such crimes.
BJP leader and Delhi minister Parvesh Verma defended the police response. He said the speed of the arrests should also be considered alongside the wider issue of crime control. Delhi Women’s Commission chairperson Lata Gupta said Delhi Police had acted promptly and arrested the driver and conductor.
Conclusion
The case concerns allegations against 2 bus employees involving a 16-year-old girl. Police have arrested the accused, placed them in judicial custody and sent the bus for forensic examination while the investigation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What happened in the Delhi bus case?
A 16-year-old girl alleged that she was sexually assaulted inside a moving sleeper bus after boarding near Noida’s Pari Chowk. She was later left near Kashmiri Gate and contacted police.
Q. Who has been arrested?
Delhi Police arrested the driver, Kuldeep, and the conductor, Sandeep, on the day of the incident.
Q. Where were the accused arrested?
They were arrested from a parking area in Timarpur, according to North Delhi DCP Niharika Bhatt’s account to Hindustan Times.
Q. What happened to the bus?
Police took the bus into custody and sent it for forensic examination.
Q. What happened to the girl?
She was handed over to her family after contacting the police.
Q. What happened to the accused after arrest?
The driver and conductor were sent to judicial custody.
Q. Where did the journey begin and end?
The girl boarded near Noida’s Pari Chowk and was allegedly left near Kashmiri Gate on Ring Road.
Q. What has the bus company said?
Manager Monu Gupta said the bus had been undergoing repairs in Surajpur from 27 July to 4 August and that both accused had worked for the company for 2 years.
