Bengaluru: A book bought by a father as a gift for his daughter seemed lost after he accidentally left his handbag on a Vayu Vajra BMTC bus. But a conductor’s honesty ensured the book — and the father’s plan to surprise his daughter — made it home.Venkatesh Harthi, who landed at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) around 1.30am Thursday, boarded a Vayu Vajra bus to Hebbal. It was only after reaching home that he realised he had left his handbag on the bus. Inside was a book he had bought for his daughter, Mahathi.“All through the journey, I had carried that little happiness with me: the thought of reaching home and handing over the gift to her. But because of my mistake, that small moment of joy looked like it would never happen. As a father, I felt disappointed that I could not give my daughter the gift I had bought for her,” Venkatesh said in a social media post.With little hope, he contacted the BMTC helpline, which promptly shared the details of conductor Mohammed Rafi Biradar. The conductor had already noticed the unattended handbag, secured it and was trying to find a way to return it. “When I spoke to him, he told me the bag was safe. He assured me that he would return it on his next trip. Those words gave me immense relief,” Venkatesh said.Biradar kept his promise and returned the handbag to Venkatesh at noon on Thursday.“The value of the things inside the bag can perhaps be measured in money. But the emotion behind that little book — the joy of a father wanting to surprise his daughter — is something beyond any value,” he said.
