KOCHI: The police did not give a clean chit to Kallada Suresh, the owner of Kallada bus, in the case of attacking passengers. Though he appeared before the investigating team the other day, the police is of the stand that his role in the case has to be investigated again. The police are examining whether more are involved in it. Meantime, those taken into custody were brought to the office of the Kallada in Aluva based on the CCTV clippings of attacking the passengers.

Kumar (55) of Nachipalayam and driver of the bus, Girilal (37) of Kollam, the manager of the bus, Vishnu (29) of Alappuzha, bus employees Anwar, Jithin, Jayesh and Rajesh are in the custody of the police.

Charges for murder attempt, robbery, voluntarily causing hurt, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means have been invoked against them. Those arrested have a direct role in it.

The bus employees jointly beat the passengers identified as Sachin (22) of Bathery, his friend Ashgar (22) and Ajay Ghosh of Thrissur last Sunday. The youths had questioned for not replacing the bus which had broken down. A complaint was lodged to Haripad police and the journey continued after replacing one. The accused assaulted the passengers when the bus reached Vytilla after being informed that the victims had beaten up the cleaner of the bus, Raja, at Karuvatta in Haripad over the delay in making alternative arrangements after the bus broke down.