A horrifying assault unfolded in Karnataka’s Davanagere district late Tuesday night, April 1, 2025, when a woman was allegedly gang-raped in front of her two young sons aboard a private bus.

The police arrested three suspects—identified as driver Prakash Madivalara, conductor Suresh, and helper Rajashekar—on Wednesday, April 2, after locals intervened, ending a crime that’s sent shockwaves through the state.

The victim, a Vijayanagar district resident, was returning from the Ucchangidurga temple fair with her children when the nightmare began.

After other passengers disembarked near Channapura village, the crew allegedly veered the bus to an isolated spot, gagged the kids with cloth, bound their hands, and assaulted their mother. Farmers and passersby, alerted by cries, stormed the bus, rescued the woman, and handed the trio to Arasikere police. One suspect reportedly has seven prior cases, hinting at a chilling pattern.

Initial police reluctance—allegedly securing the victim’s signature on a blank sheet—drew ire until Vijayanagar SP Shrihari Babu B.L. stepped in, ensuring the accused were booked and the woman’s statement recorded.

The arrests, confirmed late Wednesday, cap a grim saga that’s sparked outrage and demands for justice in Karnataka’s heartland. The investigation rolls on, but for now, three are behind bars—and a mother’s ordeal is a call the state can’t ignore.