Chennai: Police are hunting for three persons who pulled out a knife to attack an MTC conductor, S Ponnusamy (25) of Thiruvallur, on Monday night after the latter chastised them for footboard travelling and refusing to buy tickets travel.
It happened around 8.30 pm in an MTC bus (route number 44 C from High Court to IOC) close to Keela Eral Nadar marriage hall near Korukkupet.
Police sources said the conductor had asked the three persons in their early 20's to come inside the bus and buy tickets. The three were enraged as Ponnusamy persistently asked them not to travel on the footboard. One of them pulled out a foldable knife and slashed the conductor's face.
By the time, the driver realised the trouble and stopped the bus, the trio got off and fled, police said. The conductor was taken to Government Stanley Hospital and treated after which he filed a complaint with Tondiarpet police.
A similar incident was reported on March 16, when a passenger of Anagaputhur allegedly attacked with a penknife the conductor D Thiruvenkadam (50) of a route number M52 bus.
Thiruvenkadam too had asked the passenger, Venkatesan (27) not to travel on the footboard. Vicky, the assailant, was arrested later.
Speaking to Express, an MTC official said such incidents proved there was no safety for MTC staff. Passengers should know how to treat staff, the official said and added that earlier there used to be complaints about the attitude of MTC staff but with adequate training this had changed. Now the public has begun abusing the conductors and drivers.