THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSRTC suspended four employees for roughing up a man in front of his daughter and trying to lock them up in a room over student travel concession at the Kattakada bus station in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Transport Minister Antony Raju directed KSRTC CMD Biju Prabhakar to carry out an inquiry within 45 days and take stringent action. Aryanad unit station master A Muhammed Shareef, duty guard S R Suresh Kumar, conductor N Anilkumar and assistant C P Milan have been suspended pending inquiry.
The High Court has also sought a detailed report on the incident. Justice Devan Ramachandran issued a directive to KSRTC standing counsel following media reports. The incident took place when Premanan, 53, a native of Amachal in Thiruvananthapuram, went to the bus station with his daughter, Reshma, and her friend to renew travel concession card. An employee at the counter sought the course certificate, but the parent insisted it was not needed for renewal. This led to heated debate which turned into scuffle when Premanan questioned the employees’ attitude and the organisation’s poor situation.
More employees intervened and tried to lock up Premanan and the girls in a room. The daughter, a second-year graduate student, complained she too was manhandled. Premanan sought treatment at Kattakada government hospital after sending his daughter and her friend for an examination in their college. The Kattakada police registered a case against five employees based on Reshma’s complaint. The KSRTC’s vigilance wing took Premanan’s statement and submitted the report to the CMD. Premanan is an employee with the panchayat department. “The violence by KSRTC employees is unacceptable even if it was a one-off incident,” Raju said.