Special Correspondent
Pune: In a shocking incident, Bhushan Mundlik (34), a resident of Pune, was allegedly attacked on a bus in Theni district, Tamil Nadu, after he failed to respond in Tamil. The assailant, an unidentified man, reportedly asked him if he knew the language before launching an unprovoked assault.
Mundlik, who had traveled to Coimbatore for a Mahashivratri event at the Isha Yoga Centre on February 26, decided to extend his trip and explore Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On March 5, he was on a bus from Munnar (Kerala) to Theni (Tamil Nadu), planning to visit Rameswaram.
“I was seated by the window on a three-seat row, enjoying the scenic view as the bus passed through the lush ghats,” Mundlik recalled. A man took the seat beside him and, in broken English, asked if he knew Tamil. Mundlik responded that he was from Maharashtra and did not understand the language.
“A few moments later, without any warning, the man suddenly punched me in the face,” he said. The impact shattered his glasses, leaving him bleeding from his eye and nose. Without a medical kit on hand, he attempted to control the bleeding with his bare hands. “I was also terrified by his aggressive expression,” he added.
Mundlik also claimed that another Tamil man on the bus discriminated against him for wearing a napkin around his neck, though it is unclear whether this was related to the attack.
Upon reaching Theni, the local police took him to a hospital, where doctors confirmed he had two fractures in his nose and provided treatment for his swollen eye.
The incident has raised concerns about safety and cultural intolerance for travelers in the region.
