Moga molestation: Badal filly admits to owning bus company

Chandigarh, May 1: Silent for nearly two days after a teeged girl was killed after being thrown out of a bus owned by him, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday filly admitted that the bus service was run by his company. According to reports, the victim’s family was refusing to cremate her body till action was taken in the matter. Expressing his “deepest sorrow and outrage” over the Moga bus tragedy, in which 13-year old Arshdeep was killed after being pushed out of the speeding vehicle by her molesters, Sukhbir said: “I am with the grieving family in their hour of extreme sorrow and want to assure them that those responsible for bringing this tragedy upon them would be given exemplary punishment under the law of the land.” The victim’s mother, Shinder Kaur, 36, who was also pushed out of the bus, was admitted to a government hospital with serious injuries.

In a statement here, Sukhbir Badal, who also holds the home portfolio, said: “I am persolly and deeply anguished over the incident, more so because of the bus in which it happened.” Referring to his ownership of the company, he said: “The fact only adds to our responsibility. (ians)