R B Jagadish

Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Jun 16: A bus conductor, who grew angry at the fact that the leave he had sought for had not been granted, sought to take vengeance by pouring sugar into the bus engine. His action attracted the ire of his colleagues and the general public, who thrashed him thoroughly, before handing him over to the police.

The person who resorted to this unique kind of revenge happened to be Sathish, a resident of Govindoooru in Karkala. It is gathered that he had joined a private bus named Salian Motors about five months back. For some personal reasons, he needed off on Tuesday. As nobody could be found to work as his substitute, the bus owner refused his request for leave. Angered by this, the conductor added sugar into the bus engine to teach the bus owner a lesson.

Inquiries revealed that on Monday night, Sathish had made several calls to bus cleaner, Siddalinga, over cellphone, seeking to know his whereabouts. Siddalinga was at a loss why his colleague was worried about his location. The bus, which reached Karkala from Mulky on Tuesday, could not return to Mulky, as its engine got jammed during running. The surprised driver contacted the conductor over cellphone to know the reason, but the conductor replied negligently and switched off the phone instantly.

During the checking, it transpired that large quantity of sugar had been inserted into the engine. By the time this information came to light, the accused conductor had boarded another private bus and was on way to his destination.

With help of some bus employees, he was made to get down from that bus and brought to the bus stand here in an auto rickshaw. Once there, he took to his heels. The general public including some bus staff caught him from market road here and hit him indiscriminately. He confessed to them that he had added sugar to the bus engine, as he was angry at the leave as requested not having been granted. As the incident had happened at Mulky, he was later handed over to Mulky police.