THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The conductor who showed negligence in resisting the sexual assault against a teacher in a Kozhikode KSRTC bus has been suspended. Earlier, Transport Minister Antony Raju had said that immediate action would be taken against the conductor following which VK Jaffer, the conductor, was suspended. . The KSRTC vigilance unit had submitted a report to the transport department that the conductor had committed a serious lapse. The suspended Jaffer is a driver cum conductor. Nadakavu police had registered a case against the person who harassed the girl and the conductor who did not intervene to resolve the complaint.

The teacher was on her way to Kozhikode from Thiruvananthapuram on a KSRTC bus when a fellow passenger misbehaved with her. The teacher immediately got up and loudly asked what atrocity this is, following which, he apologized. The teacher added she was scared the whole because he was sitting behind her. The conductor responsible for resolving the complaint did not intervene.

Earlier, Transport Minister Antony Raju had said that the teacher's experience on the bus was shocking. The minister had asked the conductor for an explanation and said strict action would be taken.

The corporation assesses that the sexual assault on the teacher is a breach of KSRTC's credibility. The teacher had complained directly to the minister that the conductor had spoken insultingly when told about the atrocity. The Transport Minister then ordered a detailed inquiry. Based on this, the vigilance section of KSRTC submitted the report, which states a serious lapse on the part of the conductor and cited this as an incident that should not have happened. The conductor's detailed statement is also recorded.

The perpetrator has not been identified but a case of sexual assault has been registered. According to the teacher, he got off the bus during a commotion inside the bus. Police are trying to trace him from the list of passengers on the bus. The teacher lodged a complaint with the Women's Commission via e-mail about the assault. P Sathi Devi, the chairperson of the women's commission, had said that action would be taken against the bus conductor in the incident.