Authorities in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state have revoked the licence of a private bus company driver and dismissed its conductor after he refused to allow a Muslim woman in burqa to board, state transport officials said on Wednesday.
A video of the incident, filmed by another passenger and circulated widely on social media this week, shows the woman confronting the conductor after he stopped her from entering the vehicle while letting other passengers board.
The woman, who was travelling to Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district, told the conductor she had a valid ticket. He ignored her and blocked her entry, according to the video.
When questioned by the person recording, the conductor said he was acting on instructions from the owner of the bus company, identified as VVS Tours & Travels, and even shared the owner’s phone number.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) said in a statement it had cancelled the company’s operating licence and barred the conductor from working, citing discriminatory conduct.
The Observer Post could not independently verify the circumstances leading to the confrontation between woman and the bus conductor.
The incident triggered outrage on social media among Muslim users who were accusing the company of targeting passengers based on their religious attire.
Tamil Nadu, a state with a significant Muslim minority, has in recent years seen sporadic disputes linked to religious identity but rarely over public transport access.
However, the development emerge at time, when TNSTC buses in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai districts recently drew attention for displaying the slogan “Be Kind to Animals” in bright blue colors on their windshields, an initiative aimed at promoting compassion towards animals on the road.
TNSTC officials said the corporation currently runs 44 buses to Bengaluru, 26 to Tiruchirappalli, and five to Puducherry, in addition to 227 town buses in the districts under its network.
