A 58-year-old bus driver of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) was suspended in Ambur on Thursday for talking on his mobile phone while driving on the Ambur-Vaniyambadi route a few days ago.
An order for suspension was issued by A. Ganapathy, General Manager (GM), TNSTC (Vellore region), for jeopardising the safety of passengers through his reckless action. “We have issued a suspension order to him (driver). Subsequently, a departmental inquiry will be held after which necessary action will be taken,” he told The Hindu.
TNSTC officials said K. Pradeep Kumar, from Pudumanai village near Ambur town in Tirupattur, had been working as a driver on the Ambur-Vaniyambadi route for over two decades. A few days ago, commuters on a crowded bus saw him talking on his mobile phone while controlling the steering wheel with one hand and eating snacks.
The incident was recorded by a passenger at Valayampattu village near Vaniyambadi town on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway and went viral on social media, creating outrage among the public.
