TV
The Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) has suspended both the captain and guide of an ‘Ama Bus’ operating in Bhubaneswar in the wake of a widely circulated video showing a passenger being physically abused by bus staff.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, has reignited public concerns over the safety and accountability of the city's public transport system, especially after multiple cases of safety violations have emerged in the past few weeks involving the Ama Bus (formerly Mo Bus).
Passenger Assault Sparks Swift Action
The incident reportedly took place on CRUT’s Ama Bus plying Route 19. In response to the viral social media post on X, CRUT reportedly took the action. A video shared by a fellow passenger showed how a man was allegedly manhandled and forcibly pushed off the bus at the Pahala bus stop in Bhubaneswar.
The situation escalated further when a female passenger who protested against the assault was allegedly harassed as well. In response, CRUT released a statement confirming that the matter is being investigated with "utmost seriousness."
It also stated that footage from the bus’s onboard CCTV is being examined to establish the sequence of events. Meanwhile, both the captain and guide have been suspended pending the outcome of the probe, it said.
A Pattern of Safety Failures
This latest case of passenger abuse comes on the heels of several serious safety-related incidents involving 'Ama Bus' services in recent months.
In May, a senior citizen lost his life after being struck by an 'Ama Bus' near Khandagiri Square. The tragic incident sparked immediate protests, with locals blocking the road and vandalising the bus.
Demands for justice and better safety mechanisms were made by residents, who alleged negligence on the part of the driver.
Just days earlier to the aforementioned incident, another fatal mishap occurred on the Balianta-Nimapada-Gop canal road near Niali. A motorcyclist died, and another was critically injured when their two-wheeler was hit during a reckless overtaking manoeuvre involving two 'Ama Bus' vehicles.
Eyewitnesses reported that one of the buses fled the scene while another was intercepted by locals and handed over to police.
