Talked on phone while driving; KSRTC driver's license suspended

PALAKKAD: A KSRTC bus driver’s license has been suspended for three months after he was found talking on his mobile phone while driving. The suspended driver is Santhosh Babu, a native of Kollengode and a driver at the Chittoor KSRTC depot. The action was taken after some passengers recorded a video of him speaking on the phone while driving and shared it on social media.

The incident happened about a week ago, during a service from Kollengode to Coimbatore. Following this, Chittoor Motor Vehicle Inspector Binu George issued a notice asking the driver to appear at the station within a week.

George also sent an official letter to the KSRTC Chittoor depot, directing the driver to report to the RTO office. Santhosh Babu later appeared before the Chittoor RTO. He will now be sent for a one-week training program at the Institute of Driver Training and Research in Edappal. Santhosh Babu is also a state committee member of the Transport Democratic Front, a union aligned with the opposition.