KOCHI: Private transport buses in Kochi are infamous for reckless driving and rude behaviour towards passengers. But it seems the employees of these buses don’t even fear the men in uniform as a bus driver threatened a home guard manning traffic by attempting to ram the bus into him at Deshabhimani Junction recently.
Ernakulam North Police have registered a case against the private bus driver and an investigation is on.
According to a police officer, the incident pertaining to the case took place at 10 am on June 1 when a home guard named P Manikandan was manning busy traffic near the junction. He saw a private bus ‘Aaradhya,’ stopping at the junction instead of the bus stop, to drop passengers. As the road at Deshabhimani Junction is narrow, the movement of other vehicles was affected.
“To report the violation by the private bus to traffic police, Manikandan took a photograph of the bus and its number plate on his mobile phone while standing on the median of the road. The bus driver who saw Manikandan taking the photograph, drove the vehicle toward him threatening to hit him. When Manikandan moved away from the road, the bus driver verbally abused him,” a police officer said.
A case was registered against the bus driver and employees of the bus on Thursday. The police as part of the probe checked CCTV visuals in the area.
The bus driver has been summoned to appear for interrogation.Manikandan, who is also the president of Ernakulam District Kerala Home Guard Association, said that he is yet to overcome from shock.
There are around 400 home guards in Ernakulam of which around 300 persons are deployed for traffic duties. The remaining guards work with the fire and rescue services department.