Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus drivers and conductors, affiliated to the DMK’s Labour Progressive Front, staged protests in Thudiyalur and in front of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital by blocking roads on Saturday morning.
The protests left traffic paralysed for over three hours on the arterial Mettupalayam Road and near the Hospital. The Coimbatore Rural Police and the Coimbatore City Police had to rush to these spots to defuse the situation.
According to sources, the drivers and conductors first protested near the Thudiyalur Bus Terminus around 5.30 a.m. after a bus conductor on route four (Thudiyalur – Ukkadam), Sakthi Parimalam, alleged that Senthil Kumar, a sub inspector attached to the Thudiyalur Police station, had assaulted him after an altercation.
The problem began when a TNSTC conductor and private bus conductor – both working on the Mettupalayam – Coimbatore route - had a heated argument over running their buses on time.
Conductor Parimalam who was in Thudiyalur had joined the argument in support of his TNSTC colleague. In the thick of the action, the drivers had parked their vehicles on the middle of the road, affecting the flow of traffic on Mettupalayam Road.
This news reached Sub Inspector Senthil Kumar, who was on duty then. When he entered the scene, conductor Parimalam directed his ire against the police officer, asking why he was interfering in the arguments. This escalated into a war of words between the police officer and the conductor, leading to the former asking the conductor to go to the police station with him.
Even as they were engaging each another, the two conductors who had fought with each other, left the scene.
Soon thereafter, the conductor, Sakthi Parimalam, alleged that the Sub Inspector Kumar had assaulted him. He had also informed his colleagues of the incident. After the news spread, Government bus conductors and drivers parked their vehicles on the Mettupalayam Road demanding action against Sub Inspector Kumar.
The Coimbatore Rural Police had to rush to the spot to defuse the situation. An officer said that only after they assured the drivers of action, did the latter leave the place. Officials from the TNSTC also rushed to Thudiyalur.
The Thudiyalur Police said that they had registered a case under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code (voluntarily causing hurt) after obtaining permission from Judicial Magistrate V as it was a non cognisable offence.
By the time the police defused the situation, two hours had passed by and the busy Thudiyalur Junction was packed with vehicles, said sources.
Soon thereafter, the drivers and conductors regrouped to protest again after hearing that the conductor was admitted to the Hospital. The Coimbatore City Police rushed to the spot to talk to the protestors.
The Police sources said the public also protested against the drivers’ and conductors’ action. After talks with the trade union leaders, the drivers and conductors left the place by driving away their vehicles.
The Coimbatore Rural Police said that they had transferred Sub Inspector Kumar to the Control Room.
