Man assaults Sikh driver, pulls his beard before stealing bus in UK; video surfaces online

A Sikh bus driver was beaten and his vehicle stolen in England's Telford on Friday evening. The vehicle was then driven on the wrong side of the road and rammed into multiple cars, police said.

West Mercia Police said officers were called to Court Street in Madeley at around 6:37 pm on September 18 following reports that a bus driver had been assaulted by a man. (X/@Liberfach0)West Mercia Police said officers were called to Court Street in Madeley at around 6:37 pm on September 18 following reports that a bus driver had been assaulted by a man. The driver was “ejected from the vehicle” during the assault, they said.

The man then allegedly drove the bus along Park Way towards the High Street, travelling on the wrong side of the road and colliding with several vehicles. The bus was eventually stopped and officers arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of robbery and dangerous driving.

The bus driver was treated by paramedics for minor injuries. No one else was injured.

A video of the incident, appeared to have been recorded by a passenger in the bus, shows a man pulling the Sikh driver's beard and banging his head against the driver's head. "Get off him. Why are you touching him like that?" a woman was heard screaming in the background.

The driver then asked the woman filming the incident to call the police. "Can you call the police please," he says. "Just take this guy away from me," the driver said, holding his beard, trying to protect it from the man.

The man was then seen pulling at and damaging parts of the bus. When a woman asked, "What the hell are you doing?", he appeared to rip out what looked like a heavy device out of the driver's cabin.

He then threatened to hit the driver with the object and repeatedly demanded that the driver give him the bus. He also threatened him with a glass pane. “Give me the bus, give me the bus,” the man was heard saying.

The video then cut to the bus being driven away in a zigzagging manner.

Detective Sergeant Taigh Lannie said in a statement, “We understand this will have been an alarming incident for those in the area this evening. I’d like to reassure the community that officers responded quickly and a man has been arrested and remains in police custody.”

"Our enquiries are continuing and we’re keen to hear from anyone who witnessed what happened or may have footage that could assist us," Lannie said.

Police have appealed to anyone with dashcam, CCTV, mobile phone or doorbell footage from Court Street, Park Way or High Street around the time of the incident to check their recordings and contact them.

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