Tamil Nadu Bus Conductor Mistreats Differently Abled Cricketer, Suspended

A conductor with the Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) who treated a differently abled cricketer with disdain and disallowed him from boarding the bus was suspended, the transport corporation said on Wednesday.

The cricketer, Sachin Shiva, attempted to board the SETC bus to Madurai from Koyambedu here when the conductor abruptly stopped him saying the bus with toilet facilities was not meant for travel pass holders. An argument ensued between the two when Shiva clarified that he could travel in the bus with the government pass provided to him.

A video of the conductor's rude behaviour went viral in the social media and in it he was heard saying "I will smash your face." Shiva identifies himself as cricket captain and questions the conductor for hurling abuse at him, in the same video. As the squabble intensifies, a police man could be seen trying to pacify the two. At one juncture Shiva asks the conductor if he is the owner to decide who should travel.

Later, Shiva posted a video claiming that he faced difficulties in travelling to Madurai in a bus lacking toilet facilities. Upon reaching his hometown, the cricketer lodged a complaint with the SETC officials at Mattuthavani. The disheartened captain of the Indian disabled cricket team told reporters that the conductor's blatant refusal had forced him to travel in another bus.

"The government has given us concessions to travel in all buses except AC buses but it is not known why certain bus crew and officials disallow us. The government pays a major portion of the fare to the transport corporation in advance," he said and insisted that the bus crew should honor the concessions provided by the government to the disabled.

A release from the managing director of SETC said the conductor was suspended for "behaving disrespectfully" with a differently abled person on the night of April 18. "A disciplinary action has been initiated on the conductor," the release said. 

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