A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus conductor from the Vivekanandapuram depot in Kanyakumari district has been suspended after he allegedly made religiously biased remarks toward a Hindu temple priest travelling with his family on Monday morning.
According to transport department officials, the action was taken after the passenger, identified as Subramanian, a temple priest from Valliyur, filed a complaint accusing the conductor, Antony, of misbehaviour and religious discrimination. A departmental inquiry has been ordered.
The Incident
The incident occurred aboard a government bus (registration TN-74 N-2120) that departed from Tirunelveli New Bus Stand around 5 a.m. for Nagercoil. Subramani, who was travelling with his wife and two sons, said he was told by the conductor that the bus would not enter Valliyur and would stop only at the bypass.
When he questioned the deviation, the conductor allegedly remarked that “most passengers were Christians from Naalumavadi” and that the bus would not go through Valliyur “just for him.”
Witnesses said the priest, dressed in traditional attire with a Rudraksha mala, refused to get down, leading to tension on the bus. The vehicle eventually entered Valliyur, where Subramani and his family staged a brief sit-in protest in front of the bus, drawing local residents to the spot.
Police and Public Response
Police from Valliyur station arrived and spoke to the protesters, calming the situation after about an hour. The bus later continued its journey toward Nagercoil.
Speaking to local media, Subramani alleged that several passengers supported the conductor and that he was singled out because of his appearance.
“The bus was not hired only for the Christians from Naalumavadi. All of us had tickets. The conductor also spoke offensively. I recorded this on video,” he said.
He also noted that a similar incident involving the same route had occurred on 31 August 2025, when the driver and conductor were suspended for skipping Valliyur.
The incident, which took place in the Radhapuram Assembly constituency represented by Speaker M Appavu, has reignited local anger over allegations that some government buses frequently skip Valliyur despite official routes mandating entry.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
