Three KKRTC Staff Placed Under Suspension After Viral Mobile Torch Bus Video

 Kalaburagi: The Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) has placed under suspension three employees, including a driver and technical staff, after an inquiry into a viral video showing a state-run bus being driven at night with the conductor using his mobile phone torch when the vehicle's headlights dimmed. The incident had snowballed into a political row, with the BJP and the JD(S) accusing the Congress government of compromising passenger safety.

The video, widely shared on social media, shows the conductor of the KKRTC bus KA-28 F-1985 flashing his mobile phone torch through the front windshield after the bus's headlights became too dim to adequately illuminate the road when it was moving from Kalaburagi to Chincholi on July 4.

Based on the inquiry following the incident, the corporation has suspended driver Akash, technical staff member Shivanand, and technical supervisor Basavaraj of the Chincholi depot.

Sources told Deccan Chronicle that the bus had developed a headlight-related technical snag before its journey from Chincholi to Kalaburagi on July 4. Thus it was taken to the Chincholi depot at around 2.30 pm. The vehicle had been attended to by technical staff member Shivanand. The bus had travelled to Kalaburagi but on the return journey the headlight dimmed and the conductor was seen using the torch of his mobile phone.

Following the incident and with the video going viral on social media, officials conducted an inquiry.

During inspection of the vehicle at the Chincholi depot on Sunday they found that although repairs had been carried out by the depot's technical staff, the defect had not been rectified properly. The inquiry also concluded that the technical supervisor had failed to adequately oversee the repair work.

The corporation further found that after the headlight problem resurfaced, the driver should have taken the bus to the nearest depot for repairs, as mandated under the corporation's rules. Sources said he could have taken the vehicle either to one of the KKRTC depots in Kalaburagi or to the Kalgi depot which was enroute Chincholi. Instead, he continued operating the bus, which the inquiry held was a violation of the prescribed procedure.

Citing public safety and the corporation's interests, the KKRTC suspended the driver, the mechanic and the technical supervisor. It has also directed all depot managers and technical staff to strictly adhere to maintenance and safety protocols to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Meanwhile, the incident has triggered a political slugfest.

In a post on X, the BJP alleged that "everything is in chaos under Congress misrule" and claimed that people in the Kalyana Karnataka region were being forced to risk their lives because of poor public transport. The party alleged that passengers had travelled nearly 90 km between Kalaburagi and Chincholi using only a mobile phone torch after the bus's headlights failed.

The Janata Dal (Secular) also targeted the government, describing the incident as reflecting the "sorry state of governance" under the Congress government's "guarantee" administration. In a post on X, the party alleged that passengers were being forced to travel with their lives at risk and accused the government of adopting a "step motherly attitude" towards the Kalyana Karnataka region.

The JD(S) further alleged that new buses purchased using funds from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) had been diverted to other regions, while buses that ought to have been scrapped were being operated on the Chincholi route. It also accused the Transport Minister of focusing on publicity rather than passenger safety and demanded action against the officials responsible, besides seeking deployment of roadworthy buses in the region.