The driver and conductor of a TNSTC bus were suspended for allegedly forcing a woman, who was carrying beef, off their bus in Navalai, Harur.
The woman, named Paanjalai (59), was in the business of selling beef and was carrying the meat she had bought in a stainless steel container to sell in Harur. According to the complaint, the conductor, Raghu, asked if she was carrying beef and then told her that no one should carry beef in the bus. Despite her requests to be dropped off at the next bus stand, Paanjalai was forced to get off the bus midway near the Moppiripatty forest area, and was forced to walk to the next bus stand. Paanjalai then informed her family of the incident, who, along with other locals, waited for the bus in the evening and confronted Raghu and Sasikumar, the driver. They both, however, denied dropping her off midway and claimed that they had dropped her off at the bus stop.
Following this, Paanjalai lodged a complaint with the Dharmapuri division of the TNSTC. Following an inquiry, the driver and the conductor were suspended on Wednesday.
Only a few days ago, two women were arrested here for serving tea in coconut shells to women labourers working their land in Polayampalli village near Navalai here. The accused were booked under the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
