After a month-long break, Pathanamthitta town in Kerala on November 18, 2023 witnessed yet another episode of a raging cat-and-mouse game between the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) and Robin — a contract carriage bus.
The bus, which was released from the department’s custody following a court order, resumed its service on the Pathanamthitta-Coimbatore route from the private bus stand in the town at 5 a.m. on the day. Just as the service took off, an enforcement team of the MVD intercepted the vehicle and slapped a fine of ₹7,500 citing violation of permit norms. Baby Gireesh, the bus owner who was travelling on board, raised objections against the MVD’s action, though to no avail.
A video footage of the episode, live-streamed on social media as well as by some television news channels, soon went viral and triggered a torrent of reactions as it was for the third time in as many months that the service was being intercepted.
