COIMBATORE: A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus driver and conductor were suspended on Wednesday for forcing an elderly Dalit woman to get off the bus as she was carrying beef meat for sales in Dharmapuri.

According to sources, Panjalai, 59 from Navalai village near Morappur was earning a livelihood by selling meat purchased from Harur town. As usual, she boarded a TNSTC bus bound to her village from Harur by carrying a vessel containing meat.

While issuing tickets, the conductor Ragu discovered the woman to be carrying meat and started to yell at her. In an unexpected move, taking even the passengers by shock, the conductor stopped the bus and forced her to alight. “Despite Panjali’s repeated pleas to allow her to get down in the next stop, the bus crew failed to consider and threw her out midway in an abandoned stretch. She then walked for three kilometres to reach the next stop to board another bus and reach her destination. Later, a video of the incident taken by a passenger was circulated in social media forcing authorities to act,” said an official.

Panjali’s kin also sought action against the bus crew. As an inquiry by authorities confirmed the offence, conductor Ragu and driver Sasi Kumar of Harur branch were placed under suspension.