School Student Pleads with Folded Hands After Being Denied Entry to Private Bus in Wadakkanchery
A shocking incident at the Wadakkanchery bus stand in Thrissur has sparked widespread outrage across Kerala after a private bus conductor refused to let school students board the vehicle. A video showing a helpless student pleading with folded hands to be allowed on the bus has gone viral on social media, drawing severe criticism from the public and student organizations.
The incident occurred on a private bus named “Mejomon,” which operates on the Kunnamkulam route. While school students were waiting in line to return home, the conductor permitted only three or four students to enter, flatly refusing the remaining five. Despite one of the students desperately begging with folded hands, the bus drove off, leaving them stranded. A formal complaint regarding the incident has been lodged with the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD).
Local reports suggest this discrimination might be linked to private bus owners’ frustration over financial losses, especially following the government’s “Priyadarshini” free travel scheme for women on KSRTC buses. Strongly condemning the act, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) stated that student travel concession is a hard-won right and not a charity. SFI leaders M. Shivaprasad and P.S. Sanjeev warned that they would launch strong protests at bus stands to ensure the travel rights of students are protected.
