Tamil Nadu cops, transport crew stand-off ends in a hug and a cup of tea

CHENNAI: Stand-off between police and transport departments that threatened to be flared-up into a bigger issue across the State has ended after a police man and government bus conductor, who were involved in a verbal duel, apologized to each other while having tea, on Saturday.

Traffic police across the state went on a penalizing spree against government buses for minor violations like missing of name tags after the Arumugapandi, the police constable and the conductor were involved in an argument over paying for bus tickets. Fines were imposed for the stopping beyond stop-line, non-fastening of seat belts and others.

Sources in the State Secretariat said that secretaries of the home department and transport department talked about the issue informally, on Friday, and directed their respective departments to end the issue amicably.

In a video clip released by an office bearer of the state government's fact check unit, the constable and the conductor apologize to each other before hugging.

The series of events unfolded after Arumugapandi boarded a government bus at Nanguneri Court stop on Kanyakumari - Tirunelveli highway on Tuesday. When the bus conductor asked the policeman to pay for the ticket, Arumugapandi refused to buy a ticket saying that government staff on duty are entitled for free travel in government buses.

However, the conductor insisted that the policeman should buy a ticket and explained that constables carrying travel warrants issued by competent authorities alone would be allowed to travel without ticket. On the other hand, the constable was firm in not buying the ticket saying that TNSTC was allowing free travel for its workers and similar privileges should also be extended to policemen on duty.

The video clip went viral on social media eliciting varied opinions on allowing police personnel to travel free in government buses. Meanwhile, TNSTC officials also clarified that police personnel with warrants only are allowed to travel free and others must buy tickets. Moreover, directions have been given to TNSTC staff to operate the buses by adhering to all the traffic rules.