In a distressing incident highlighting the high-handedness of some public transport staff, a plantation worker was reportedly forced off a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus in Palakkad after she failed to provide the exact fare for her journey.

The passenger, identified as Amutha from the Kottayamkad division of Chandramala Estate, was travelling from Pulayampara to Nenmara. Trouble began when she handed over a ₹500 note to pay for her ₹43 ticket. According to Amutha, the bus conductor demanded the exact change and, upon learning that she did not have any smaller denominations, refused to issue a ticket. Instead of accommodating her or offering to pay the balance later, the conductor allegedly ordered her to alight near the local village office, leaving her stranded mid-journey.

Official complaints filed
Amutha, a native of Tamil Nadu, was on her way to visit her daughter in Pollachi when she suffered the ordeal. Shaken by the experience, she has filed formal complaints with the Palakkad KSRTC office and the Padagiri police department, demanding action against the conductor for his unprofessional and insensitive behaviour. Local residents and co-workers have expressed outrage over the incident, pointing out the insensitivity of leaving a female passenger stranded in an unfamiliar area over a minor currency issue.

Interestingly, the bus involved in the incident was operating as a temporary replacement for another KSRTC bus that had recently been involved in an accident. Transport authorities are expected to initiate an internal enquiry into the matter following the formal complaint.