Police file case against KSRTC driver

For driving a bus into floodwaters risking lives of passengers

About a week after he allegedly drove a public transport bus into the floodwaters and risked the lives of passengers on board, the police have booked a case against Jayadeep Sebastian, a driver with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), for damaging public property.

According to Prasad Abraham, Station House Officer, Erattupetta, a case has been registered against Mr. Sebastian under provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The case follows a complaint in this regard by the KSRTC authorities.

As part of investigation, the police will now verify the video footage of the vehicle being driven into the flood and assess the damages suffered to the vehicle.

The footage of Mr. Sebastian driving the bus into the flood waters that inundated the road section in front of the St. Mary’s church at Poonjar had gone viral in social media. The bus, which was heading to Erattupetta, soon got stuck in the water and the passengers on board were rescued with the assistance of local people.

Mr. Sebastian of the Erattupetta depot, was immediately placed under suspension while the Motor Vehicle Department initiated proceedings to cancel his driving licence. Despite these, he soon came up with videos in the social media, flaying the authorities of initiating action for attempting to save the lives of passengers.

In one of the videos, Mr. Sebastian claimed that he had driven into the water with the permission of the conductor and the passengers on board, but the vehicle got stuck in a heavy gush of water, causing its engine to stop. He then drove the vehicle towards the church and parked it near its compound wall, thus enabling the rescue of people on board.

The bus, which had suffered heavy damages, was later towed away from the location after the floodwaters receded, officials said.

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