Lucknow: A driver and his assistant from the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) have been suspended following an incident where they halted their bus to allow two passengers to offer namaz (Islamic prayers), as reported by The Times of India.
The incident occurred on June 4 when the bus departed from Bareilly terminal and made a stop at NH24 in the Milak area of Rampur district. At the time, the bus was carrying 14 passengers.
According to the driver, KP Singh, he stopped the bus initially as some passengers requested to use a roadside toilet. Subsequently, two other passengers expressed their desire to offer namaz. Singh agreed to their request and kept the bus halted for a few minutes to allow them to pray.
However, some other passengers on the bus objected to the delay caused by waiting for the two individuals to finish their prayers. One passenger reportedly recorded a video of the incident and shared it on social media, alleging that the bus was stopped solely for the two men to offer namaz.
Following an initial inquiry, Deepak Chaudhary, the regional manager of the transport body, informed IANS that Singh and his assistant, Yadav, were suspended. This action was taken to ensure the safety and security of passengers, as stopping the bus on a busy highway posed risks.
Hussain Mansoori, a resident of Ahmedabad in Gujarat who had offered the namaz, expressed surprise at the suspension of Singh and Yadav.
Meanwhile, Yadav stated that he and Singh intend to challenge the suspension order, as they believe they did nothing wrong by accommodating the passengers' prayer request.
The employee welfare association has also shown support for Singh and Yadav, emphasizing the need for a proper investigation before suspending employees.
Hari Mohan, the president of the association, explained that suspensions should be based on a thorough examination by a committee to determine the person's guilt. In this case, Singh and Yadav were not given an opportunity to provide their explanation before the suspension was imposed.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Manjeshwar: Three people, including a father and son, died on the spot after a car they were travelling in lost control and crashed into a bridge pillar near the old check post in Hosangady on National Highway 66 at around 10 pm on Monday night.
According to reports, was seriously injured in the accident.
The deceased have been identified as Janardhana, his son Varun and Krishna, residents of Paivalike Baikatte.
Another person Ratan, who was seriously injured, has been admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru.
The accident occurred when the four were traveling from Paivalike Baikatte towards Mangaluru. It is reported that the driver lost control of the vehicle near the old check post, leading to the fatal crash. The impact left the car completely mangled.