WATCH: Burqa-clad man questioned over suspicions of availing free bus travel under Shakti yojana in Karnataka

A 58-year-old man on Thursday was questioned by locals in Karnataka's Dharwad for waiting at a bus stop in a burqa. The man, identified as Veerabhadraiah by a Twitter user, was suspected to have dressed as a woman to avail free bus travel in the state's KSRTC bus under the Siddaramaiah-led government's Shakti Yojana.

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A video of the exchange between locals and the man was shared online by a social media user. “Veerabhadraiah from Vijayapura, who wore a burqa for a free ride on a KSRTC bus. But said the purpose of wearing the burqa is different..” the user captioned the video.

Hindustan Times has not been able to independently verify the man's identity.

Reports revealed that the man said he was clad in a burqa for begging purposes, as it garners more sympathy. However, the onlookers did not believe him. He was even carrying a photocopy of a woman's Aadhaar card, a report said.

Locals reportedly confronted the man based on suspicions that he was looking to travel for free under the Shakti yojana, a government scheme for women across Karnataka wherein they can travel with no cost in buses belonging to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).

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The scheme was a part of the Congress party's election manifesto ahead of its massive win in the recent May 10 assembly poll in the state. It was launched last month and has been hailed all over the state by women, who have said they can now use the money saved due to the scheme in better ways.