KOLLAM: The date, November 8, invokes a myriad of emotions in 76-year-old S Thulsidharan, a retired KSRTC conductor. It brings up a decades-old memory of a day of tragedy and heroism, and remains a haunting reminder of unfulfilled promises.
It was on November 8, 1987, that Thulsidharan faced a horrific accident, one that tested his courage. He was on duty as conductor on board a KSRTC bus from Karunagappally depot when it rammed a railway gate at Vavvakkavu, rendering it immobile on the tracks even as an express train approached.
Amid the chaos and panic, Thulsidharan sprang into action. Giving no thought for his own safety, he managed to pull six passengers out of the bus moments before Jayanthi Express struck the vehicle, killing eight passengers, including the driver Rajagopalan Pillai.
Days after the accident, the state government and the KSRTC spoke of honouring Thulsidharan for his bravery. The then transport minister Sankaranarayana Pillai even praised Thulsidharan’s courageous act in the state assembly.
Thirty-seven years on, Thulsidharan has received neither an award nor a mention. The man who was once hailed as a hero, has become a figure lost to time.
“I had a bad feeling that day. Just before Vavvakkavu, the brakes of the bus failed. On one side were shops teeming with people, and on the other, a canal. The driver’s last resort was the railway gate. However, we crashed through and got trapped on the tracks. Everyone panicked. We knew the train was coming. I pushed two young women off the bus, helped a young man, and carried two children out. Seconds later, the train hit, and I ended up in the hospital,” recalls Thulsidharan.
He spent days recovering at Karunagappally taluk hospital, where the then Chief Minister E K Nayanar praised his bravery.
Nothing happened after that. Despite his brave act, Thulsidharan was neither promoted nor formally recognised. In 2003, he retired from KSRTC without even a commendation.
Thulsidharan believes professional jealousy played a role in the lack of recognition. “The bus had brake issues, and the driver had reported it in the logbook before we left. However, during inquiry, they claimed he was under the influence of alcohol. It is a lie. I refused to support the false report, and that’s why they never recommended me for an award,” he alleges.
Today, Thulsidharan runs a small business in his hometown of Karunagappally. The railway crossing remains a place of deep emotion for him.
“Even now, when I pass by that track, it sends chills me to the core,” he says.
When contacted, Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar said he recollects the incident that happened. However, nothing could be done, he said, as many years have passed since then.
“We cannot give him rewards or promotion as many years have passed. Moreover, currently, we don’t have any plans to give him any reward,” said Ganesh Kumar.