Image Source: India Today
In a troubling incident that unfolded in Tamil Nadu, a Dalit woman named Panchalai faced blatant discrimination as she was allegedly forced off a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus mid-journey for carrying beef.
Panchalai, a 59-year-old resident of Navalai village in Dharmapuri district, regularly travels from Harur to Krishnagiri to purchase meat for resale in her village. However, on this particular journey, the conductor objected to her carrying beef, leading to her forced disembarkation in an unsafe area.
This incident has sparked outrage, with Panchalai filing a complaint accusing the bus driver and conductor of caste-based discrimination.
The discrimination, as per Panchalai’s account, had been ongoing for the past six months, with the conductor allegedly harassing her repeatedly.
The victim, Paanjalai, recounted that the conductor, identified as Raghu, berated her for carrying beef daily on the bus. When Raghu blew the whistle, the driver turned off the bus in a forested area. The conductor, with the support of other passengers, declared that the bus wouldn’t move until she disembarked. Despite Panjalai’s pleas to be dropped off at the next bus stop, her requests were ignored, and she was forced off the bus in the Moppiripatty forest area. Struggling to walk with her load, she received a free ride from a private bus on the same route and then informed her family about the incident.
The incident came to light when Panchalai filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and local police, citing discrimination based on her caste.
The TNSTC responded promptly by suspending the bus driver, N Sasikumar, and the conductor, K Raghu, pending an inquiry into the matter. The suspension underlines the seriousness of the allegations and aims to ensure a thorough investigation into the conduct of the bus crew. The TNSTC emphasized that the crew had no authority to inspect the contents of passengers’ luggage without cause, highlighting a breach of protocol.
Local residents and Panchalai’s family confronted the bus crew later that evening, prompting officials to intervene and engage in discussions with the concerned parties. The Dharmapuri district police registered the case under the SC/ST Act.
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