Scolded by minister followed by transfer; KSRTC driver who did not remove plastic bottles from bus collapses while driving

KANJIRAPPALLY: The KSRTC driver, who was scolded by the minister for not removing plastic bottles from the bus and was subsequently transferred, collapsed while driving the bus. The driver at Ponkunnam depot, Jaimon Joseph, fell ill and collapsed. Jaimon, who was taken to Kanjirappally General Hospital, was admitted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital for specialist treatment.

The transfer of employees including Jaimon, to Thrissur, was temporarily frozen after a controversy arose. Jaimon collapsed after it was later announced that the transfer had not been canceled. The incident took place at Poothakuzhy in Kanjirappally while he was operating on the Mundakkayam-Pala route.

On the morning of the 1st, Minister KB Ganesh Kumar stopped the bus and scolded the driver after seeing drinking bottles lined up against the front window of a bus coming from Mundakkayam to Thiruvananthapuram. The minister then directed that action be taken against three people, including Jaimon.

The transfer order was then issued. Jaimon said that he was taking medication for diabetes and blood pressure and that the bottles that were kept in front of the bus on the day of the incident were used to hold drinking water.