Coimbatore, March 29 – The Coimbatore Police have launched an inquiry after a private bus from the city was seized in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, for allegedly carrying inscriptions that glorified the fugitive gangster, Dawood Ibrahim.
The bus, which had departed from Coimbatore with more than 40 engineering students on board, was returning from a trip to Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, when it was intercepted by the Basavanahalli police on Saturday.
According to officials, the vehicle drew attention due to certain slogans painted or displayed on it, including phrases such as "gangs of Mumbai" and "real don," which the authorities believed were in praise of Dawood Ibrahim.
The Karnataka Police subsequently seized the vehicle and registered a case against the bus driver and the owner. The case reportedly falls under Section 197(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with acts considered prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
Police sources said that the students travelling on the bus were not detained and were instead allowed to continue their journey in an alternative vehicle arranged after the seizure.
The focus of the investigation, officials indicated, is on the nature of the inscriptions, how they came to be displayed on the bus, and whether there was any deliberate attempt to promote unlawful content.
Back in Tamil Nadu, the Coimbatore Police have now begun a parallel investigation into the incident. Their inquiry will seek to establish whether the display of the slogans was intentional, who authorized them, and whether the transport operator had prior knowledge of the material appearing on the vehicle.
A senior police official said that while the Karnataka authorities are conducting the primary investigation, the Coimbatore Police are examining the background of the bus and the circumstances under which it was operated for the student excursion.
Officials also said that travel operators and private vehicle owners must exercise caution and ensure that no unlawful, provocative, or objectionable content is displayed on their vehicles.
The incident has raised concerns about the lack of scrutiny in the branding and decoration of private buses used for student tours and excursions. Authorities are expected to question those linked to the vehicle in the coming days as part of the ongoing investigation.