An elderly couple who were dropped in the middle of their journey to Sangam village by a KKRTC bus conductor near Gundlur village in Yadgir district on February 9. Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) conductor who allegedly made an elderly couple alight from a bus in the middle of their journey near Gundlur village in Wadagera taluk district, leading to widespread backlash after a video clip of the couple trying to walk in an isolated area went viral, has been suspended.
Sangamesh, 70, and wife Annapurna, 60, natives of Kalaburgi town, boarded a bus at Yadgir bus stand on February 9 to visit the Sangameshwar temple in Sangam village.
However, the guide allegedly dropped them at Gundlur citing that the bus cannot go to Sangam for only two passengers.
“Even after repeated requests from us and fellow passengers, the conductor refused to take us to Sangam village and got off the bus,” Ms. Annapurna told The Hindu over phone.
“We had no other option, we walked two kilometers and when we were nearing Sangam, a motorcyclist took us to the village to whom we explained the situation,” she said.
A passer-by filmed a couple walking while carrying their bags and shared it on social media. Following this, the public demanded action against the conductor.
The company has now taken up the issue and ordered an investigation. Speaking to The Hind over the phone from Bengaluru, Transport Minister Ramlinga Reddy said that he had ordered the managing director of KKRTC in Kalaburagi to suspend the conductor for violating the rules and also dropping the elder midway.
In a subsequent development, Divisional Controller and Disciplinary Officer Manjunath suspended Chandappa, driver-cum-conductor of KKRTC’s Yadgir depot.
Published – 14 February 2026 21:30 IST