Karnataka Minister M.B. Patil orders bus driver suspension after schoolgirls stranded in Vijayapura
Synopsis
Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil made an unscheduled roadside stop in Vijayapura after spotting schoolgirls stranded by a government bus driver who allegedly drove past without stopping. His on-the-spot call to the Divisional Controller demanding suspension — caught on video — has gone viral, putting a spotlight on rural bus reliability failures across Karnataka.
Key Takeaways
Patil , Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries, intervened on 12 August after schoolgirls were stranded near Mamadapur village, Babaleshwar taluk, Vijayapura .
The KSRTC bus driver on the Vijayapura–Kilarahatti–Mamadapur route allegedly refused to stop, telling students he had no time.
Patil called Divisional Controller D.A.
Biradar on the spot and ordered the driver's suspension for alleged negligence.
The minister directed Biradar to personally visit Mamadapur and arrange immediate transportation for the students.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, drawing widespread public appreciation for Patil's intervention.
Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil stepped in on Tuesday, 12 August after a group of schoolgirls was left stranded near Mamadapur village in Babaleshwar taluk, Vijayapura, allegedly because a government bus driver refused to stop and pick them up. A video of the incident circulated widely on social media the following day, drawing public outrage.
What Happened on the Vijayapura Route
The students were waiting along the Vijayapura–Kilarahatti–Mamadapur route when the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus reportedly passed them without halting. According to the students, the driver told them he did not have time to stop before driving away. A majority of those stranded were girls.
Patil happened to be passing through the area on his way to an event when he noticed the students by the roadside. He stopped his vehicle, walked over, and heard their account directly.
Minister's Intervention and Demand for Action
Patil immediately called Vijayapura Divisional Controller D.A. Biradar and questioned him over the driver's conduct. He directed the official to suspend the driver for alleged negligence. When Biradar indicated that arrangements would be made to transport the students, Patil pressed further.
'I don't want just arrangements to be made. Action must be taken against the driver,' Patil told the official, calling the incident shameful and unacceptable.
He further ordered Biradar to personally visit Mamadapur to resolve the matter on the ground and to ensure immediate transportation was arranged for the waiting students.
Assurances to Students
After the call, the students again gathered around the minister to share their concerns. Patil assured them that senior transport officials would reach the spot and that his personal secretary would remain present to ensure the students did not face similar inconvenience in the future.
Public Response and Broader Context
The video of Patil's roadside intervention drew appreciation from social media users, with many praising the minister's on-the-spot accountability. This comes amid recurring complaints across Karnataka about irregular bus services on rural routes, particularly those connecting schools and colleges in taluk-level areas. Notably, the incident highlights a persistent gap in last-mile public transport reliability for students in semi-urban and rural Karnataka.
Whether the driver faces formal suspension and what systemic steps the transport department takes to prevent recurrence will determine whether this intervention translates into lasting change.
Point of View
But the real question is institutional: how often do rural KSRTC drivers skip stops on thin-ridership routes, and how many students simply have no minister passing by to intervene? A single suspension resolves one incident; it does not fix the structural incentive for drivers to skip inconvenient stops on long rural routes. Karnataka's transport department needs a grievance mechanism that works without a minister's phone call — and this viral moment is as good a prompt as any to build one.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the schoolgirls stranded in Vijayapura?
A group of schoolgirls was allegedly left stranded near Mamadapur village in Babaleshwar taluk, Vijayapura, on 12 August after a KSRTC bus driver on the Vijayapura–Kilarahatti–Mamadapur route reportedly drove past without stopping, saying he had no time. Karnataka Minister M.B. Patil, who was passing by, intervened directly.
What action did Minister M.B. Patil take?
Patil called Vijayapura Divisional Controller D.A. Biradar on the spot and ordered the bus driver's suspension for alleged negligence. He also directed Biradar to personally visit Mamadapur and arrange immediate transportation for the stranded students.
Who is M.B. Patil and why was he in the area?
M.B. Patil is Karnataka's Minister for Large and Medium Industries. He was travelling to attend an event when he noticed the students waiting by the roadside and stopped his vehicle to speak with them.
Has the bus driver been suspended?
Patil directed the Vijayapura Divisional Controller to suspend the driver for alleged negligence. The minister insisted that action — not just remedial arrangements — must follow. The formal status of the suspension had not been independently confirmed at the time of reporting.
Why does this incident matter beyond Vijayapura?
The incident highlights a recurring problem of unreliable bus services on rural routes in Karnataka, particularly for school-going students in taluk-level areas. It raises questions about accountability mechanisms in public transport that currently depend on chance ministerial encounters rather than structured grievance systems.
