TNSTC bus driver attacked, services hit for two hours

Coimbatore: Bus services were affected for close to two hours at the Gandhipuram Town Bus Terminal on Tuesday, after a driver of a TNSTC bus was attacked by a private bus crew following an altercation over timings.
On Tuesday morning, an argument broke out between the crew of a TNSTC bus operated on Gandhipuram-Cheran Maa Nagar route and the crew of a private route bus operated on Gandhipuram-Vellamadai route over the timings. Both the crews were pacified by their counterparts and the issue was settled.
However, around 3pm, two conductors and a driver of a private bus entered a TNSTC bus at the terminal and assaulted the driver of the bus Karthikeyan, who suffered injuries and was admitted to the hospital.
As the news of Karthikeyan being attacked spread, TNSTC bus drivers and conductors halted the services from the terminal.
Many passengers were stranded at the terminal for close to two hours as bus services were stopped.
The vehicular movement on Dr Nanjappa Road was also affected due to the protest. TNSTC officials pacified the bus crews and lodged a complaint with the Kattoor police.
A case was registered based on a complaint from Karthikeyan under IPC sections 294 (using obscene words), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from discharging duty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (1)- (criminal intimidation).
Police arrested conductors Venkatesh,35, and Ranjith, 27, and driver Santhosh, 28, for assaulting Karthikeyan.