Sacked crew pour salt into bus engine, arrested after ‘delayed damage’ plan backfires

Malappuram: They thought the damage would take weeks to show and that by then, suspicion would never fall on them. But their plan to sabotage a private bus engine by pouring salt into it eventually led police to a former driver and conductor, who have now been arrested in Pookkottumpadam in the district.

The arrested persons were former conductor Ramees, 19, Karuvarakundu, and former driver Salman, 31, of Karappuram. Police took the two into custody following a complaint filed by bus manager Nisar.

According to police, the duo allegedly targeted the bus out of resentment after being dismissed from service. The owner had reportedly terminated their employment citing shortcomings and lapses in their work.

The alleged sabotage took place around 11 pm on August 30, when the bus was parked at a petrol pump in Pookkottumpadam. Police said the two poured a large quantity of salt into the bus engine.

The accused believed that putting salt into the engine would cause the vehicle to develop serious problems only after two or three weeks, by which time they would be far removed from suspicion. But the damage surfaced much sooner than they had anticipated, said police.

The following day, while the bus was on service, it had travelled only around 50 km when thick smoke began billowing from the engine. The vehicle soon came to a complete halt, leaving the owner with an estimated loss of around ₹3 lakh, police added.

Realising that the incident had turned into a serious issue, the former conductor and driver left their hometown. Police then began examining CCTV footage from the petrol pump and nearby areas. The footage eventually helped investigators trace the two, leading to their arrest.