A private bus crew in Kerala’s Perumbavoor area has been accused of pushing a school student onto the road while other students were trying to board, renewing concerns about passenger safety and enforcement on the route. The incident was reported near MGM School at Kuruppampady at about 4.15pm on October 8 and involved the Shalimar bus operating between Perumbavoor and Kothamangalam, according to Malayala Manorama.
The report said the conductor was reluctant to allow students to board and pushed back students who were attempting to enter the bus. One student fell onto the road during the incident. The bus reportedly continued moving without the crew noticing the child’s fall. The student escaped being run over, according to the report.
The complaint comes shortly after another reported incident involving students of South Vazhakulam Government Higher Secondary School. In that case, a conductor was accused of hitting students on the head with a ticket machine, causing injuries. The reports have brought renewed attention to the conduct of private bus staff towards schoolchildren and other passengers in the Perumbavoor region.
The latest complaint concerns the safety of students at a busy school-side boarding point, where the interaction between buses, children and other road users can take place in a limited roadside space. The report did not provide details of the student’s identity or the extent of any injuries in the Kuruppampady incident.
Residents have also raised wider complaints about private buses in and around Perumbavoor, including alleged speeding, unsafe overtaking and competition between buses to maintain schedules. The report said these concerns affect passengers, pedestrians and two-wheeler riders, particularly on narrow roads where high-speed manoeuvres can increase the risk of collisions.
Other complaints mentioned in the report include buses failing to stop properly at designated stops and operating with their doors open. Such practices can expose passengers to falls while boarding, alighting or travelling, although the report did not specify how many violations had been recorded or whether action had been taken in each case.
The allegations have also raised questions about the response of the Motor Vehicles Department and the police. Local residents have criticised what they described as inadequate action after repeated incidents and have called for strong measures against the bus employee involved in the latest complaint. The report additionally referred to shortcomings in traffic management and delays in enforcement as factors residents believe have allowed unsafe practices to continue.
The available report did not state whether a formal case had been registered, whether the bus crew had been suspended, or whether officials had ordered an inspection of the Shalimar service. Any further action by the police or the Motor Vehicles Department, including an investigation into the Kuruppampady complaint, remains the next reported development to watch.
