Conductor deboards girl with music instruments; suspended

MADURAI: In yet another case of ‘objectionable’ behaviour by transport crew, A TNSTC conductor in Tirunelveli allegedly deboarded a college student, who carried a few musical instruments, at Vannarpettai on Wednesday evening.

The passenger, a first year girl student of a private college in Tirunelveli, while returning to her house at Thirupuvanam in Sivaganga district after taking part in a competition, boarded a bus bound for Madurai from Tirunelveli bus stand.

However, the conductor, Ganapathy, denied entry to the student saying passengers with such musical instruments, including ‘Parai, are not allowed to travel in the bus. Ignoring the conductor’s warning, the girl boarded the bus.

Irked by the girl’s defiance, the conducted was verbally fuming even as he was issuing tickets to other passengers.

At one point, the enraged conductor abused the passenger and stopped the bus forcibly alighted the girl at Vannarpettai.

Following media reports on the behaviour of the conductor, transport officials initiated disciplinary action and suspended the conductor, who was also transferred to Thisayanvilai depot.

Tirunelveli Collector KP Karthikeyan, when contacted, said the stranded passenger was assisted to board another bus to her destination. The TNSTC manager has been instructed to advise the crew of how to behave with and treat passengers.