Bus Driver Attacked by Armed Teenagers Seeks Stricter Measures

In a shocking incident last Thursday, January 16, in Roches-Brunes, 20-year-old bus driver Vishesh was violently assaulted by a group of armed teenagers wielding a sword and a cutter. This brutal attack left him injured and deeply traumatized, prompting him to call for stricter measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Vishesh, who has been a bus driver for three years, reported the attack to the police at the Résidence Barkly station after receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

Still in shock, he shared his experience with Le Dimanche/L’Hebdo, describing the severity of the situation:

“Schoolchildren don’t have manners these days , it could have been much worse.”

The assault occurred around midday while Vishesh was preparing to pick up students in the Roches-Brunes/Beau-Bassin area.

Due to heavy traffic, the bus could only stop a few meters from the usual drop-off point, which angered a group of five teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17.

Initially, they began by hurling insults at Vishesh and the bus driver, but the situation quickly escalated when two of the youths brandished their weapons.

During the altercation, the bus driver attempted to intervene, but one of the assailants threatened him with a cutter.

“It’s the first time I’ve encountered such individuals,” Vishesh recounted.

He explained that the group appeared to be recent students from a local training center, and he was taken aback when they pulled out their weapons.

He expressed concern over the deterioration of student behavior:

“Some of them do not have ” Student Bus Pass’ and they insist on riding for free. Many times we let them go to avoid trouble.”

Vishesh’s assault has placed him in a difficult position at home. His mother urges him to quit his job due to safety concerns, yet he feels compelled to support his elderly parents.

“My mother keeps telling me to stop working. But if I quit, who will provide for her? How will I take care of her? She’s already unwell,” he explained.

Having worked on the Beau-Bassin route for a year after assignments in Quatre-Bornes and Flacq—where he never faced such issues—Vishesh emphasized the growing misconduct among passengers.

He recalled frequent encounters with misbehaving youths and drug users.

“It’s a very challenging job; the public lacks patience, especially young students. Nowadays, most of them have no manners,” he said.

He cited alarming incidents where he has witnessed students wielding cutters on the bus, saying, “I’ve even seen students slashing seats with a cutter.”

Vishesh is calling for schools to strengthen their bag checks and for authorities to impose strict sanctions on offenders.

He expressed fear for his safety, recounting that before fleeing, the attackers had threatened him, saying, “We’ll get you; it’s not over with me yet.”

He urged authorities to act swiftly and decisively against such aggressive behaviors to ensure the safety of bus drivers and the wider community.

Source: Defi Media