Kerala Bus Driver's Licence Suspended after He Let College Girls Change Gears of Moving Vehicle

Kochi: A tourist bus driver who allowed a few college girls to shift gears of his running vehicle has landed in trouble with the state Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) suspending his licence for six months.

The MVD has also issued a notice to the college at Kalpetta in Wayanad district seeking details of the action taken by them in connection with the incident during the degree students' seven-day excursion to Goa early this month, official sources said.

Now the college authorities have decided to conduct a traffic awareness class for the erring students. The college council has decided to invite MVD officials to the college to conduct the class for the students, a college staff council member said.

"They might have done it for a fun, but it was a dangerous, irresponsible act. The driver was found violating provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. So, his licence has been suspended for six months," said Kalpetta Joint Regional Transport Officer CVM Sharief.

Sharief said the driver, in his 40s, was summoned for a hearing and he admitted his mistake.

The MVD took the action on the basis of a complaint received by state Transport Commissioner R Sreelekha.

The issue came to light when a video of a few girls changing gears of the running vehicle according to the tune of a song went viral. It was shot by one of the students during their excursion to Goa from October 31-November 7, college sources said.

The students had posted the video on social media, said the sources, adding they were not aware of the consequences of their act.

Meanwhile, the Motor Vehicle Department is initiating action against a 28-year-old driver of a tourist bus who allegedly sang a song using a microphone while driving the vehicle during a tour by medical students from Ernakulam in October first week.

B Shefiq, Joint Regional Transport Officer at Perumbavur in Ernakulam district, said he could trace the bus after he noticed a social media post in which the driver, while driving the vehicle, was seen singing holding a microphone. The owner and the driver were summoned.

"The driver admitted his mistake... we found that he has violated the rules," he said.

The driver has been directed to appear before the MVD on Friday with a reply to the show-cause notice issued to him. The official indicated that the driver's licence will be suspended. He will also have to attend a class to understand traffic rules before the licence is restored to him, the official added.