COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore police have initiated an inquiry after a private bus originating from the city was seized in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district for allegedly displaying inscriptions that glorified fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
The bus, carrying more than 40 engineering students from Coimbatore, had been on an excursion to Dandeli in the Uttara Kannada district.
While returning through Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, it was intercepted and seized by the Basavanahalli police after authorities noticed slogans on the vehicle that allegedly praised Dawood Ibrahim. There were inscriptions such as ‘gangs of Mumbai’ and ‘real don’ on the bus.
Following the seizure, the students were allowed to continue their journey in an alternative vehicle.
Meanwhile, Karnataka police registered a case against the bus driver and owner under Section 197(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (jeopardizing the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India).
Meanwhile, Coimbatore police have launched a parallel investigation to determine whether there was any deliberate intent behind the display of such messages.
“Even as the Karnataka police are conducting their inquiry, we have begun a parallel probe to ascertain the motive behind these inscriptions. We urge travel operators to refrain from displaying any content that is considered unlawful,” said a police official.