The employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) went on a flash strike here on Monday following a standoff between them and the police over parking of buses at the Mofussil bus station.
The strike was called to mark their protest against the police taking two of their colleagues into custody in the afternoon.
The five-hour strike was called off following a meeting of union leaders in the presence of the Commissioner of Police at 6 p.m.
The Commissioner assured the union leaders that no cases would be charged against the bus workers till the special branch gave a report on the incident.
The incident took place when the Pattanamthitta bound KSRTC bus from Padichira in Wayanad reached the Mofussil bus station at 2 p.m.
Since there was no space available at the bay allotted to KSRTC buses it parked on the area provided for private buses.
The KSRTC bus driver K. Shajahan and conductor P. Saji alleged that the police personnel on duty assaulted them for creating a blockade at the bus station.
However, the Kasaba police clarified that they had reached the spot following a dispute between the workers. Consequently, the police took both the KSRTC employees into custody.
Later, the enraged workers staged a demonstration at the bus station demanding that the police release their colleagues. Simultaneously they also decided to boycott work immediately.
Trade union workers who carried out protests were also taken into custody. But they were released later.
A tense situation prevailed at the bus station for some time.
The KSRTC employees refused to take out the vehicles out of the bus station leading to a commotion.
However, the private bus workers were directed to take them out.
The strike affected a large number of commuters travelling to rural areas in the district and Wayanad.
