Bus operators to be held liable for offences by crew with criminal background at work: Kochi City police

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A 28-year-old IT professional was fatally run over by an allegedly overspeeding bus near Kakkanad in Kochi on November 4, 2026. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

Private bus operators employing people with criminal antecedents onboard their vehicles will now be held liable for their reckless acts and unruly behaviour while at work, the Kochi City police have warned.

The warning comes even as they have come under fire from various quarters, including the High Court, over repeated incidents of reckless driving and unruly behaviour by a section of private bus employees. In the latest such incident, a 28-year-old IT professional was fatally run over by an allegedly overspeeding bus near Kakkanad on Wednesday (November 4, 2026).

The police investigation revealed that the bus driver was a repeat offender, with seven cases registered against him, including two under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. He did not possess the police clearance certificate (PCC), which, according to police officers, was mandatory for crew members employed by private bus operators.

“Bus operators have been instructed to ensure that their employees possess a PCC. From now on, if a crew member with a criminal background is found to be deployed on a bus, it will be deemed a violation of the permit rules. In such cases, the police will recommend cancellation of the permit, and the bus operator will have to prove otherwise,” said Bijoy Chandran, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thrikkakara.

The officer added that the police would recommend that the permits of bus operators who repeatedly violated permit rules not be renewed. The police have also decided to seize buses involved in offences committed by crew members with a criminal background and produce them before a court.

The police also urged the public to record videos of reckless driving and report such incidents promptly.

The latest fatal accident happened at a time when the police are carrying out a special drive to verify the background of bus employees in the city.

Bus operators said they would abide by the police instructions while also raising concerns over other factors contributing to accidents. “We do not want to defend the driver in the Kakkanad incident. But it should also be noted that the accident has once again highlighted lapses in road development in the area. Despite police initiatives in the past, the number of accidents keeps rising. The government should initiate a proper study into the reasons and come up with long-term solutions,” said K.B. Suneer, president of the Ernakulam Private Bus Operators Association.

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