Thrissur: Private bus workers operating on the Thrissur–Kodungallur route launched a flash strike on Tuesday morning, disrupting services. The protest stems from an incident on May 23 near Karuvannur Valiya Palam, where one-way traffic had been temporarily introduced as part of concrete road work on the state highway.

During the diversion, a confrontation occurred when several cars were seen travelling in the wrong direction, leading to an altercation with the staff of a private limited-stop bus named Lakshmi. A local resident, Shihab, intervened in the dispute, which escalated into a clash between him and the bus crew.

A video of the incident later surfaced on social media. Bus workers allegedly re-shared the clip with background music and mass-style dialogues, casting Shihab in a negative light. Following a complaint from Shihab, the Cherpu police registered a case against the bus staff under non-bailable sections.

In protest against the police action, bus workers called the strike and suspended services along the route.