KSRTC conductor who jumped into Kumaradhara still untraced; family demands thorough probe

Mangalore Today News Network

Sullia, Sep 27, 2016 :   Efforts to trace Devadas, the missing conductor of  the KSRTC bus operating on the Subrahmanya-Mangaluru route, who jumped into the Kumaradhara river from the bus on September 25, Sunday following an altercation with a lady passenger over the  money she had given to him  towards bus fare, have failed so far.

As many as 15 expert divers from Gundya as well as fire service personnel from Puttur have been on an intensive search operation, but have not met with any success possibly due  to the increased water flow into the river due to heavy rains.

It is now  alleged that the humiliation which Devadas suffered in the Kadaba Police Station where he was taken after the lady passenger argued that she had passed on a Rs 500 note to him though Devadas said it was a Rs 100 note,  is believed to have forced  Devadas to take the extreme step.

Pawan, son of Devadas states his father was a honest man  and  has also been presented ’Best Conductor’ Award thrice for his honesty and good discipline. He also maintains that the  insult he might have suffered at Kadaba police station might have forced him to jump into the river. He has also demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

A similar demand has been put forth by TP member Kittanna Rai Gurupur,   Gurupur G P Vice President Sachin Adapa and  Uday Bhat a relative of Devadas. They alleged that the police personnel at the station had undressed and assaulted the conductor, in the absence of the station house officer.  They also strongly opined that Devadas who felt ashamed and was also deeply hurt by this had decided to take the extreme step.