Dispute over timings: Private bus driver attacked with jack lever for blocking another bus in Kozhikode

Kozhikode:  A private bus driver was attacked by another driver at the Mofussil bus stand here on Wednesday.  The severely injured driver, M Noushad (46) from Meethalakathu, Kottakkal, Koyilandy, was admitted to the emergency ward of a private hospital. PK Shaheer (48) from Kundathil, Mamparam, Kannur, was arrested in connection with the incident. He is an employee  in another private bus.

The incident occurred at 8.30 am when a bus from Vadakara arrived at the Mofussil bus stand. While Noushad was resting in the driver’s seat, Shaheer entered the bus and began a verbal altercation over the time slots assigned to their buses. Shaheer then started assaulting Noushad, hitting him in the face and body and kicking him.

The bus conductor rushed to intervene and tried to pull Shaheer away. However, Shaheer refused to back down and got into a verbal argument with other bus employees. Shaheer and Noushad then resumed their argument, during which Shaheer grabbed a jack lever from under a seat and struck Noushad on the head.

Noushad collapsed on the bus floor, bleeding. Fellow bus employees quickly transferred him to a private hospital. Shaheer fled the scene but was later arrested by Kasaba police in the evening.  The accused was arrested by the police on Wednesday night and was remanded by the court. A case has been registered against him for attempted murder. A police team from the Kasaba station, led by Inspector G Gopakumar, is investigating the incident. 

The altercation reportedly stemmed from a dispute over bus timing schedules, with complaints arising about the improper scheduling of bus routes. Bus employees' associations are demanding an update to the timings, allowing enough time for drivers to reach their destinations.