Kochi’s private bus safety crisis intensified after a speeding bus knocked down a traffic police officer near the Kerala High Court complex on Saturday evening, injuring his left kneecap and prompting police to detain the driver and seize the vehicle. The incident occurred days after the death of an Infopark employee in a separate bus collision and amid strong criticism from the Kerala High Court over reckless driving in the city.
The injured officer, civil police officer Sreedath M S, 39, was managing traffic near the High Court when the bus, identified as Mahatma, allegedly struck him from behind at about 7.30pm. Police said the vehicle was travelling from Menaka and turned towards Banerji Road before hitting the officer, who fell close to its front wheels. Sreedath was taken to hospital for treatment.
Police took driver Aneesh, a resident of Kakkanad, and the bus into custody. An FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The supplied report does not specify the sections invoked or provide an update on the officer’s condition beyond the injury to his left kneecap.
The collision came as Kochi faced renewed protests over the conduct of private buses following the death of Akshara A, an Infopark employee who was knocked down by a private bus at IMG Junction in Kakkanad on Wednesday. The High Court had criticised Kochi city traffic police over repeated violent incidents involving bus crews and reckless driving. The court orally questioned whether the need to maintain punctuality could justify behaviour that endangered road users.
The police have announced several measures intended to improve accountability among public transport workers. Police clearance certificates and identity cards were announced as mandatory for bus crews by September 15. Deputy commissioner of police (law and order) Arun K Pavithran told the court on Friday that QR-code-based smart identity cards would be introduced for every public transport vehicle employee. He said details of more than 1,300 private bus employees had already been verified.
Pavithran also said the police were working to restore public surveillance cameras that were not functioning on several roads. Under the proposed monitoring system, bus owners and vehicle owners could also be held accountable for the actions of their employees, particularly drivers. The report said the driver involved in Akshara’s death had pending criminal cases, including a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act registered at Thoppumpady.
The latest incident has added pressure to demands for stronger operational controls on Kochi’s private bus network. An online petition seeking justice for Akshara and safer roads in the city had received more than 7,800 signatures. It calls for GPS-based speed monitoring with real-time tracking, automated penalties, speed cameras, automatic number plate recognition on high-risk routes and escalating action against repeat offenders, including permit-related measures.
The petition also seeks scientifically determined bus schedules, minimum intervals between services, greater accountability for operators and safer pedestrian infrastructure, including footpaths, crossings and traffic-calming measures. The police’s next steps include implementing the QR-based identity system, completing verification of bus employees and restoring non-functional surveillance cameras.
