Indian origin bus driver dies after being set on fire by passenger in Brisbane’s Moorooka

Manmeet Alisher was a well-known singer in the Punjabi community.

An Indian-origin bus driver in Australia died after a man poured flammable liquid on him and set him alight at a bus stop in Brisbane’s Moorooka.

The 29-year-old Manmeet Alisher, a well-known singer in the Punjabi community, was attacked by a 48-year-old man while there was “no apparent motive” and he has ruled out a link to terrorism.

Police arrested the attacker at the scene and said he was “compliant”.

“Words escape me, it’s a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka,” Superintendent Keogh told ABC. “A bus driver, going about doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act.”

“It’s lucky the whole bus didn’t become engulfed in flames,” Keogh said.

Eleven passengers were treated for smoke inhalation but were not believed to be seriously injured.

A taxi driver named Aguek Nyok, who rushed to the bus and kicked open the back door to allow passengers to escape from the smoking vehicle was hailed for his bravery. He later insisted that anyone would have acted as he did and expressed regret that he could not attempt to rescue the driver.

Brisbane’s lord mayor Graham Quirk said that that the attack was believed to be a “random act” and urged the city to show gratitude to its bus drivers.

Today’s tragic incident came four weeks after the Queensland government announced a review to address the growing number of attacks on bus drivers.