Bus operators to be held accountable for misdemeanors of crew members with criminal record: Kochi city police

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

Private bus operators employing people with criminal antecedents on board their vehicles will now be held accountable for their reckless acts and unruly behavior at work, the Kochi city police has warned.

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

The police investigation revealed that the bus driver was a recidivist, and seven cases were registered against him, two of which were under the Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances. He did not hold a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), which officers said was mandatory for crew members employed by private bus operators.

“Bus operators have been instructed to ensure that their staff are in possession of PCC. From now on, if a crew member with a criminal record is found to be deployed in a bus, it will be considered a violation of 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, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Thrikkakara.

The officer added that the police will advise not to renew the permits of bus operators who have repeatedly violated permit rules. The police also decided to seize buses involved in crimes committed by crew members with criminal records and bring them to court.

It urged the public to report incidents

Police also urged the public to record videos of reckless driving and report these incidents immediately.

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

Bus operators said they would follow police directions while raising concerns about 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 the shortcomings in road development in the area. Despite police initiatives in the past, the number of accidents has been on the rise. The government should initiate a proper study of the causes and come up with long-term solutions,” said KB Suneer, president, Ernakulam Private Bus Operators Association.

Published – 7 Nov 2026 07:00 IST