MADURAI: The TNSTC driver Sasikumar, who drove the bus bound for Tiruchendur from Nagercoil through flood water under the rail subway at Vallioor in Tirunelveli district on Wednesday evening, was suspended for negligence.

A video of a common man alerting the driver Sasikumar about the four-foot-deep flooded subway went viral on social media. As a truck passed the inundated subway, the state government bus driver grew confident and took off the bus which got stuck in flood waters, sources said.

As many as 62 passengers were inside the bus when the incident occurred at around 5 pm. Following this, 12 brigades led by Radhakrishnan, Station Office Transport, at Vallioor, rushed to the spot and stepped up rescue efforts.

The brigades rescued all the stranded passengers from the bus after having tied a lengthy rope to the bus and the station vehicle. It took almost an hour to complete the rescue operation, sources said.