Government suspends bus crew after driver slaps passenger in Tiruvannamalai

An argument broke out between the passenger and the crew of a TNSTC bus in Tiruvannamalai, following which the driver allegedly slapped the passenger. Photo Credit: Special Editing

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Tiruvannamalai, on Friday, November 15, 2024, suspended the crew of a government bus for a day after its driver allegedly slapped a passenger who had demanded the balance of the money he had paid for his ticket. Vengikkal village near Collectorate in Tiruvannamalai.

TNSTC officials said that after an investigation, a restraining order was issued by TNSTC (Tiruvannamalai) general manager S. Gopalakrishnan against the driver of the bus, S. Venkatesan, and the conductor, V. Kandan.

When the bus, traveling on route 715 between Tirupur and Vellore town via Tiruvannamalai, stopped at the Tangedco bus stop in Vengikkal village at around 08.15 on Thursday, November 14, 2024, a passenger getting off the bus asked the bus conductor for the balance of the ticket he had brought. The passenger gave him a £100 note in exchange for a £13 bus ticket and was told to collect the change when he got off at his destination.

However, it was claimed that the conductor did not take this request into account and the bus started to move. The passenger immediately got on his friend’s two-wheeler and followed the bus.

He managed to stop the bus at Thenral Nagar. An argument broke out between the passenger and the bus crew, during which driver Venkatesan allegedly slapped the passenger.

A video allegedly of the attack went viral on social media. “Their (bus crew) behavior was extremely inappropriate. They did not report the incident to higher authorities, contrary to the rules. The incident also caused traffic congestion and public inconvenience. That’s why they were suspended,” said a TNSTC official. Hindu.