'He said I won': Kozhikode woman who forced motorist off footpath earned rider's praise before she stormed internet

Kozhikode: Prabhavathi, the 73-year-old woman from Kozhikode, who inadvertently found herself as the champion of pedestrian rights and Kerala's digital literacy feat with her stern act on the footpath, had a busy day on Friday. Vloggers milled around her house at Eranjippalam making her recount over and over again, how she forced a motorist back onto the road after he rode along the footpath. The officials of the Motor Vehicles Department turned up to honour her. Neighbours lined up to make sense of all the commotion that unfurled on the front yard of her two-room, tile-roofed house.

Prabhavathi didn't disappoint anyone. Amidst the chaos, she even briefly encountered a similar instance on the footpath when a two-wheeler rider ran straight into her, apparently having taken the easy route. Those who know her for years say it was not an act of defiance for attention, but a matter of principle.

In the early 1970s, her fiery spirit had earned her the nickname "Kaanthari". The name was given to her by former Communist leader  KR Gouriyamma during a meeting of the women's wing of the party, after she boldly questioned what she perceived as an unjust party policy decision in a gathering attended by the leader herself in Kozhikode Government Guest House.

The moniker was a testament to her sharp tongue and uncompromising stand against injustice. Even in party forums, she would not hesitate to raise her voice if she felt something was unfair.

The same spirit was on display on a Kozhikode footpath when she blocked a scooter rider from illegally using the pedestrian walkway to bypass traffic. Calm, yet firm, she stood her ground and even photographed the vehicle’s number plate on her smartphone — an act that has since earned her widespread admiration on social media. Transport minister Ganesh Kumar praised her and promised strict action to ensure the safety of pedestrians on the footpath.

In an interaction with Onmanorama on Friday, Prabhavathi Koyyeri said that questioning wrongdoing has always been second nature to her.

 "One day, while I was taking my mother to the hospital, she had just stepped into an autorickshaw. Realising that the trip was only for a short distance, the driver tried to speed away. My mother nearly fell down. I immediately blocked the auto and slapped the driver. Whether it is inside a party meeting or on the road, a mistake is a mistake. I will react," she said firmly, adding that silence in the face of injustice only encourages further violations.

Recalling Wednesday's incident, she said the rider initially refused to reverse despite her repeated requests.

 "It was the third similar incident I confronted in the same area. When he asked me to move aside, I refused. I told him it is my right to walk on the footpath, and he has no business being there. He then asked me to squeeze past the scooter. I insisted that he reverse. When he questioned whether I was trying to teach him the law, I told him I would react whenever there is a rule violation. The moment I took out my phone from my bag, he reversed the vehicle," she said.

 "After moving onto the main road, the rider wished me and said, "Finally, you won the fight." I don't want to win over anyone," Prabhavathi said. "I only want to prevent injustice."

Her house is barely 100 metres from the spot where the confrontation took place.  To many who watched the viral video, she appeared to be an unknown elderly woman boldly asserting pedestrian rights. But to those familiar with her public life, the 'Kanthari' spirit — sharp, fearless and unyielding — has always defined her.

Prabhavathi entered politics at the age of 19. Her uncle, a staunch supporter and member of the Communist Party, inspired her early political engagement. Prabhavathi was a member of the Karaparambu local committee of the CPM, where former Kozhikode mayor M Bhaskaran was her mentor.

 "I managed to attend many party programmes with my uncle and my father, who was also a committed communist in Thalassery and worked as a driver with the Plantation Corporation. My father helped several senior leaders during the Emergency period by providing shelter. Since 1973, I have been part of the party's women's organisation and worked alongside senior leaders, including KR Gouri Amma," she recalled.

"I was just 19 when I attended a meeting convened by Gouri Amma at the Kozhikode Guest House. Many tried to stop me from speaking, but I questioned party policies openly. If it were today, I might have been expelled. But Gouri Amma encouraged me. From then on, she fondly called me 'Kanthari'," she said.

It was Gouri Amma who recommended her for the post of warden at a women's hostel run by the party in Thiruvananthapuram in 1992. However, after three years, ideological differences with the leadership led her to resign and return home.

Prabhavathi believes public apathy is worsening the situation on roads and footpaths.

"Most people are not ready to react to injustice anymore. They see rule violations and simply walk away. They don't have the time or the will to intervene — especially women. Even in the viral video, you can see young girls walking past without reacting. An apolitical society is the reason for such a pathetic situation," she said.

Prabhavathi currently resides at her maternal home in Eranjipalam with her sisters.